


Howl at the Moon

by Faux_dreams



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Gen, emotional distress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-05-26 18:06:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 79,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6250051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faux_dreams/pseuds/Faux_dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Killers are not born, but made. Jordyn believes she deserves vengeance for what happened to her family, but what will she do when she learns she isn't so different from the ones she loathes the most?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. AxNewxJourney

**Author's Note:**

> In the tags, it says that there's going to be hinted OC/Illumi, which there will be, but it isn't going to be the main focus of the story.  
> I hope you all enjoy the story, though, and have fun reading it.  
> ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_We were not born as killers.  
_ _We were made to be._

 

     A tall, lean woman stood across from a man that wasn't much taller than her. The room was large and empty, only the two stood in it. The woman had short, somewhat professional looking brown hair that only reached the base of her skull, her skin a pale shade, and her eyes a bright teal color. There was a single lock of hair that naturally fell across the right side of her face, while two stubborn locks stood at the top of her head, almost looking like leaves. Her clothes were the strangest part about her appearance. She wore a short sleeved, open, green coat that had two long tails trailing behind it, her undershirt a deep red color with an odd, playing card-like design on it and it only covered so much of her stomach, it could be considered a midriff shirt; she wore turquoise colored harem pants that were kept up with a bright blue obi. Her footwear was simply black boots with a red colored tongue.  
     The man across from her had long white hair, dull blue eyes, and his skin also a pale color. He wore a bright yellow cloak yet the rest of his clothing was white. It would be easy to pick him out of a crowd with such a brightly colored piece of clothing.  
  
     Right now, neither of them were focused on that. They seemed to be waiting for something, possibly for either one of them to start moving. The woman's stance was much like her opponent's, her legs in a position like she was ready to dodge or dash forward at any moment with her left hand half extended and holding a half opened fist; her hand was much the same, except closer to her side. The man seemed confident in himself, holding his hands farther from his body than she was and holding them more as if he had claws.  
     The two stared at one another, not blinking or even moving their gaze. It was like they were in some sort of deadlock; a situation that neither one of them wanted to change.

 

     Then the woman blinked and dashed towards the man, not hesitating at all with her steps or the fact she thrust her hands at his stomach and his throat. He stepped back, grabbed the arm closest to his body, then moved to the side, dodging her other swipe. She looked annoyed by this, yet he was smirking confidently as he tried to swipe her legs out from under her. She jumped, though he still held her arms firmly in his hands, and kicked her leg up towards his chin. She smirked this time as she landed the hit, then jumped away from him when she landed again. He rubbed his jaw, whining silently in pain before looking at her again.  
  
     “Even when my nen is protecting me, your kicks still manage to hurt a lot.” He smiled at her as he relaxed his stance.  
     “Really? Are you sure you weren't just late to protecting yourself?” She teased him before relaxing herself as well.  
     “I'm very sure.” He chuckled before bowing to her, signaling the end of their fight. She returned the bow before running up to him with a childlike grin on her face.  
  
     “So? You think I'm prepared for the Hunter's Exam?” She asked as she put her hands behind her back and rocked to and fro on her heels. She seemed eager to hear his answer, mostly because she had been waiting so many years to finally take this exam. He wouldn't have let her go to it if she couldn't land a hit on him. And with such a painful kick, it made her confident that he would finally agree. He stared at her a moment, thinking it over before smiling with a sigh. Part of him didn't want to, but he knew better than to tell her no. Especially after the promise he made.  
     “Yes...I think you're ready for the Hunter's Exam. You're sixteen now and you show a lot of promise. The exam itself will most likely help you develop further...and I won't be so worried about you getting killed.” He sounded like he was hesitant at first, which he really was. He had known her since she was just a small kid. He didn't know how she would do or if she would come back. But he also knew she wouldn't just die without a fight or give up so easily. She had a lot of determination in her, as well as her reflexes and her strength. He had confidence in her, though he'd much prefer her to team up with someone to make sure she stayed safe.  
  
     Her eyes lit up and she started to jump around so excitedly, cheering and hollering into the empty room. He laughed with her, but tried to calm her down before she threw out her voice. He was expecting everything from her, even a pouty face and her telling him to have some fun once in a while. But he wasn't really expecting the tight yet tender hug she surprised him with. He stared at her a moment then smiled softly and returned the hug.  


     “Thank you so much, Kastro. I promise I'll come home safe and sound. And when I do, we can celebrate! 'Cuz there is no way I'm coming back without a Hunter's License!” She grinned up at him as she let go.  
     “I believe you, Jordyn. I think it would be a little odd if you came home without one, honestly.” He let go of her and the two started to walk out of the room together. “In fact, I'd be even more surprised if you didn't give the examiners hell if you do fail.” Honestly, she was such a spitfire, it would be strange to see or even hear that she acted docile to anyone that crossed her.  
     “Oh I'm not that bad~” She waved off his worries, acting as humble as she could. In all honesty, she was bad when it came to things where she couldn't get a second chance. Be it someone telling her 'no' or refusing to even spar with her, she didn't like being seen as a child or like a nuisance. So she always did her best to prove herself and show that she wasn't just someone to toss aside without a second thought.  
  
     They exited the large building and entered into a large, crowded area full of people waiting to get inside and see a few fighting matches today. It was still early in the morning, the air was crisp and warm, and the sun was shining brightly in the sky with only a few clouds floating by. All in all, it was a normal day for the city. People were wandering by or walking into the large building with their children, seemingly excited for what was going on inside. Kastro and Jordyn walked through the crowd, trying to find breathing room so they could discuss. The boats weren't leaving for a while, she had time to say her goodbyes and eat before going. And to be fair, Kastro did want to spend a little more time with her before she left for who knows how long. Even he knew that the exam could last for weeks on end. He never had taken the exam before, he mostly only knew about what went on because of a friend of his.  
  
     They decided to sit at one of the cafes to enjoy a sweet filled lunch, talking about this and that or what she should bring on her trip.  
     “I'll be fine! You worry too much sometimes. All I need are the clothes on my back and my wits.” She hummed confidently before eating an eclair with her tea. Kastro sighed, knowing she was too confident about this. And he was probably the king of confidence when he was fighting someone. He sighs a little and shakes his head.  
     “Jordyn...do you remember Hisoka?” She looked rather annoyed at the slightest mention of the name. She put her cup down and nodded, not looking at all happy.  
     “Yeah...what about him?” She leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other, and leaned her head against her fist. It was obvious she didn't want to talk about him, but she knew Kastro well enough to know he wouldn't _not_ talk about him.  
  
     She knew the two had a long time rivalry, or at least that's what Kastro told her. But even at the slightest mention of the creepy man, Kastro would go on and on about how strong and talented he was. It was odd to her that he was so obsessed with beating him, but then again, she didn't really have any place to judge him. She had her own strange obsessions as well.  
  
     “Well, I know he attends the Hunter's Exam each time it's held no matter what. And I was thinking--”  


     “You are not!”  
  
     “...that he could watch over you in the exam. You know, to make sure you are safe.” He knew she wasn't going to like that idea the moment he thought of it.  
  
     “I don't need a babysitter! Besides, that is the single most contradictory statement I have ever heard! He doesn't protect people, he kills them!” She argued as she started to bounce her foot in annoyance. She couldn't believe he would even suggest such a plan! She didn't need protecting, she could handle herself very well. At least, in her opinion she could.  
  
     “You know you shouldn't talk behind someone's back, their feelings might get hurt _♦_.” Speaking of the devil, a talk man with styled red hair walked up to the table, looking rather interested with what they were talking about. Jordyn, without missing a beat, glared up at the redhead.  
     “You don't have feelings, don't even play that card.” She huffed, looking more annoyed than she probably would be if he had just stayed away.  
     “You're always so cruel, Jordyn _♠._ If I didn't know any better, I would think you hated me _♥._ ”  
     “I do hate you!”  
  
     Kastro decided to step in before the girl got too mouthy with him. The last thing he wanted was for her to actually die by Hisoka's hands. “Anyway, Hisoka, there's a favor I need to ask you. I'm guessing you heard it?”  
     The man looked at him, having an ever-present smirk on his face. “You want me to watch over Jordyn during the exam, right _♣_?” He hummed, seeming rather fond of the idea.  
     “That's correct. If you want, I'll pay you for your time.”  
     “I don't need to be protected!” Neither one of them seemed to be listening to her at all. They just kept going on.  
  
     “That won't be necessary _♠._ I'm more than happy to watch over her and keep her safe _♥._ ” Jordyn knew he was lying, which made him glare all the more at him. But of course, Kastro didn't seem to notice.  
     “Great! Thank you very much, Hisoka. Now I don't have a single worry in my mind.” The man smiled rather happily before continuing to eat his sweets. Hisoka smirked down at Jordyn, who just glared back at him, not looking pleased at all.  
  
     After a moment, the woman stood up from her seat and started to walk down the street.  
     “Where are you going?” Kastro asked as Hisoka took her seat and decided to eat whatever she hadn't finished.  
     “Goin' back to the farm to say goodbye. We have to get going soon and I'd rather not leave without saying goodbye to everyone.” She lifted her hand and waved to them, continuing on her walk. He seemed to understand and let her go without complaint.  
  
     Miles outside of the city, everything was covered in dense forests and woods that were full of all sorts of animals and insects. There was a beaten path leading into these woods where it eventually spread out to farmland. However, this farm looked shabby. The wooden fence was broken and a few of the planks were knocked loose, the house and stables looking to be falling apart but were still inhabitable, and the grazing area had gotten so muddy after the rainy season, people would think it was a marsh. The crops, however, seemed to be the only thing prospering from the landscape. Cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, carrots, beets, all sorts of fruits and vegetables were thriving and growing well. It could be said that Jordyn had a green thumb, but she just excused it as pure luck. She stood at the entrance of her farm, looking at the faded archway with the name 'Zweiss' scratched into it. She smiled at the archway before walking towards the stables. It was more of a barn, but most of the animals were kept to their spaces that they needed. In one side, there was a herd of Great Stamps munching away on their daily meals, on the opposite side was a small team of odd looking horses stood. The horses ranged from 7 feet to 9 feet high and their fur was a deep black color with only one having a white streak on it's muzzle. All their eyes were large and colored a very eerie white. And then, there were a herd of what looked like clouds with legs. Those were her sheep. These were her animals, or rather, her family. She preferred that term because, well, they were all she had left.  
  
     “Hey guys. I'm about to leave for the exam.” She called out and they all turned to look at her. She smiled at them and walked towards the pigs, who all clambered towards their gate to greet her. She pet their large noses, laughing a little as some shoved and pushed the others to have their turn being pet. “You won't miss me when I'm gone, right? Don't worry, even if you do, I doubt I'll be gone long. I'll be home soon and when I get back, I'll start building you guys a brand new stable! Large enough so it's not as cramped and you'll be able to graze all you want!” She cheered and they seemed happy to hear that. She then walked to the sheep and couldn't help but bury her face into one's wooly fur. “And you guys will have a sheer station, so I won't have to get in your crowded pen and try to do everything in such a small area.” The sheep baa'd happily at that. She let go and walked over to the large horses who all sneezed in her face to show their affection. She laughed at that and wiped her face. “I love you guys, too. You'll have a stable all to yourselves, with all the meat you can eat. You can run as much as you like and not have to worry about watching over the others as much.” She smiled softly as she pet the one with the white muzzle. “And you, you naughty boy, while I'm gone you're in charge of letting everyone out so they can eat. And don't look innocent, I know you know how to unlock your gates.” The horse shoot his head and turned his head away from her. She laughed and gave him one more pet before heading towards the door again. “I promise. I'll come back and fix everything. We'll all be happy again, I just know it.” She smiled once again before leaving the stable.  
  
     She looked at her decrepit home, having her smile turn almost sad. “I promise I'll make things better...” She clapped her hands together and bowed her head in prayer before turning and running off, this time towards the port town where she would depart for Zaban City and begin her journey.

 

     It took at least an hour for her to get to the port town, but she made it. The air was salty and the waves gently lapped up against the pier. Jordyn hadn't been around the ocean very much, so it was always enjoyable to hear the waves and the seagulls cawing overhead, waiting for some poor tourist to drop their food. She could see a few boats still in the docks, waiting for every passenger to get on so they could finally depart. However, as she looked around, she didn't see Hisoka anywhere. He was supposed to be her, albeit reluctantly accepted, escort. Why didn't she see him? She felt a buzz on her hip, which did surprise her, but she eventually figured someone was trying to contact her. She pulled her cellphone from her obi and took a look at the message.  
  
_'I'll see you at the exam♥'_

 

     Jordyn nearly threw her phone at the ground in anger. “HE DITCHED ME!” Well, so much for Kastro's plan of her being protected. She knew he wouldn't just stick around waiting for her. Especially not when she knew how much he liked playing judge to innocent people. All he ever mentioned was 'ripe fruits' or some odd term like that. He was an odd man all around, but certainly more creepy than odd. Even she could only stand being around him for a certain amount of time.  
  
     She pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a deep breath, getting over the fact he ditched her this easily. It wasn't that big of a deal to begin with. She took another breath before heading to one of the ships and boarded it. There were all sorts of people aboard the ship, some were younger than herself and others much much older. They either were with friends or by themselves, like she was, and honestly, she didn't really want to make any new friends on the way there. Half of these people may not even make it to the exam sight, anyway. No use getting attached to people she would never see again. She instead walked over towards the starboard side, looking out at the vast open ocean. It was strange, she could feel herself suddenly start to get butterflies in her stomach. But she wasn't nervous. Maybe excitement? Or was she feeling anxious because she was leaving her home and going into an unknown world by herself? Or perhaps it was just the size of the ocean that was giving her this weird feeling. She had seen monuments and buildings that were thousands of meters high and yet the ocean was what got her a little weak in the knees. She still didn't think it was entirely fear, though. It was something, she just didn't know what.  
  
     The ships horn sounded, signaling the boat's departure. She didn't even feel the ship moving at first, it was only when she looked towards the back of the boat and saw the shore getting smaller and smaller did she realize they had started moving. She ran over to the stern and watched shore grow smaller and smaller until she could only see the lights from the many houses shining over the horizon. It left a strange feeling in her stomach, not like the butterflies.  
  
     “Aww does somebody miss their mommy?” One of the participants jeered, getting a group to laugh at her as they saw her just standing on the stern and staring back at her home.  
     “Huh?” She looked back at them, blinked, then hit her open hand with her fist. “That's what it is! I'm homesick! Geez no wonder I didn't know what it was, I never left home before.” She hummed as she scratched her head, obviously not too bothered by their teasing. Again, she didn't know them and didn't feel the need to prove her worth to them. No need in getting herself in trouble for a couple of nobodies. She nodded to herself and headed down into the ship. The passengers watched her, a little annoyed by her ignoring them, but they were quick to forget about it and went back to either talking amongst themselves or doing whatever it was they did by themselves.  
  
     She looked back up and sighed. “Those guys are gonna get soaked. Ah well...if they can't tell there's gonna be a storm, it ain't my fault.” She shrugged and walked over to the crates, deciding to take a nap for the hour long ride. She blinked, though, as she noticed something. “Wait...it should only take 45 minutes to get to the docks in Zaban from here...especially on a fancy, fast moving ship like this one.” She jogged back over to the entrance and looked at the sky, watching the clouds slowly drifting in from the east. “The captain wants to go into the storm...” She hummed, wondering why he would do that. Well, whatever reason it was, she was at least safe down here for the trip. She walked back to the crates and laid down on top of one, getting herself some rest for the upcoming journey.

 

     Like Jordyn had predicted, the captain drove the boat through a storm, rocking the boat every which way and causing many of it's passengers to become sea sick or to fall overboard. The ones below the deck were safe, though had to deal with the rocking and sudden jolts from the waves crashing into the ship. Jordyn, however, noticed none of this as she slept on the crate. It wasn't like she was perfectly still, the crates would rock every which way whenever the boat was hit. And yet she managed to stay asleep. However, the fact she woke up to groaning didn't really make her feel too well. She woke up just after they were steered out of the storm, greeted by the sounds of the seasick passengers. She grimaced at that before yawning.  
  
     “Maybe I should have warned them after all...” She muttered and yawned again before getting off her crate and headed up to the deck to see where they were. There were still people on the deck, though most of them were just the ship's crew rather than people going to take the Hunter's exam.  
  
     “Ma'am...it looks like there's still one left.” One of the crew members pointed out as they saw the oddly clad girl walk onto the deck. An old woman looked out the window of her office, seeing the one that they were talking about. She had long, puffy grey hair and though her skin was wrinkled and worn, she still held a lot of spirit in her eyes.  
     “Well, would ya look at that.” She laughed before taking a swig from her wine bottle. “'E's got a stronger stomach than half the men on this ship. Should recruit 'im after this is all done. Could use a deckhand with a good stomach.” She walked out of her office and walked herself down towards the lonely contestant. “Mighty taller than I thought, too.” She hummed as she got closer, which caught Jordyn's attention. She tilted her head and turned towards her to see what she wanted. The old woman cleared her throat and held herself professionally, though she still had that soft smile on her face.  
  
     “Are you the captain?” She asked, though was sure that she was considering her uniform.  
     “Yes I am. You can call me Captain Zanders.” She introduced herself and was about to ask for Jordyn to introduce herself as well, but the young lady seemed to have something else in mind.  
     “What the hell was the big idea driving this thing through a storm!? Do you know how dangerous that is!?” She scolded the woman, even if she knew just how much older she was. She thought she deserved it, especially when everyone's well-being was at stake. The woman stared at her, honestly surprised, before she burst out laughing.  
     “You hear that!? We got us a spunky one!” She laughed loudly, not even bothered by her scolding. “Oh having a lad like you on board with my crew would be amazing! What d'ya say? If you fail this year, will ya work?”  
     “Lad?” Jordyn glared at her before shaking her head. “No, I'm not doing to be working on your boat. I'm going to pass the Hunter's Exam, so there's no need.” She huffed, making Zanders look a little disappointed.  
     “Ahh well, there's usually strapping young lads at the ports anyway.”  
     “And another thing, I'm a woman.”  
  
     Zanders stared at her again, looking her body up and down. It wasn't all for her to have mistaken what she was. She was flat chested, most definitely an A-cup and her hips...well, they weren't very wide. And it certainly didn't help that her shirt showed off her muscles rather then a flat stomach that a woman would usually have and her voice sounded a little boyish(certainly throaty, that's for sure) for her age. She hummed and scratched her head.  
  
    “Well, woulda look at that...Don't see many boards around here.” She laughed as she patted her own chest that was at least visible. Jordyn growled at her this time, finally getting her to get on with what she wanted to talk to her about. She waved off her angry look and calmed her laugh down a bit. “Alright alright. Best test ya now before we dock.” She hummed and took a swig from her wine bottle. “First, what's yer name, lass?”  
  
     Jordyn seemed to calm down as well, taking another deep breath before she spoke up. “Jordyn Zweiss. It's...well, it isn't really a pleasure to meet you, but you know.” She shrugged, obviously still a little annoyed despite her breathing exercises.  
     “...Even the name.” She hummed, though laughed as she glared again. “So tell me, Jo-Jo, why'd ye decide to become a Hunter? Money? Fame? Or are ye the type to want to commit crime without gettin' caught?” She asked, actually very curious about this. It was her favorite part of the job, she always learned so much about the examinees through this question. Jordyn was silent for a moment, seeming almost embarrassed about why she wanted to become a Hunter. “Go ahead, I won't laugh.” She promised, though crossed her fingers behind her back.  
  
     “Back home...I live on my family's farm. It...hasn't gotten the love and attention it deserves in a long time. I want to become a Hunter essentially for money, but I want to use the money to fix it up, give my animals better places to wander and graze as well as give the crops more places to grow.” She knew this was essential to the test, why would she ask such a personal question otherwise? She blinked and looked embarrassed as the woman laughed. “You promised, old hag!” She yelled at her, looking like she was about to kill her. And she wouldn't hesitate to do it, either. The old woman looked at her again, though noticed something a little odd with the way she was staring at her now. She cleared her throat but continued to smile at her.  
     “A noble cause. I bet yer parents are proud o' ya.” Jordyn calmed down almost immediately, though again looked embarrassed at the mention of her parents. But she smiled softly as well.  
     “Yeah...”  
  
     A short while after, the ship's horn blared again, signaling they had arrived at Zaban City. She waited by the ramp to get off the boat, Zanders stood by her, having one more question. “By the way, Jo-Jo...how'd ye know I was purposely driving into that storm?” She asked curiously.  
     “Huh? Oh...Well, on the farm I have to watch closely for the weather and I've gotten really used to weather balloons and how they work...and watching the clouds. That storm was heading for Padokea and wouldn't hit for another day or two. The clouds were moving too fast for that to be true.” She nodded as she explained how she knew. It was simple to her, though she was sure anyone else wouldn't notice too well or at all. The woman smiled at her, patted her shoulder, then waved goodbye as the ramp was secured to the dock.  
     “Good luck, lass. I trust you'll keep that promise of yers and become a hunter this year!” She laughed again as Jordyn waved back at her with a big smile. After she was gone, the woman's smile fell as she held her wine bottle to her lips. “Oy...Gregory...” She waved one of the deckhands over to her. The boy walked over and saluted.  
     “Yes ma'am!”  
     “Tell the others to keep an eye on that one. Somethin'...Somethin' ain't quite right with her eyes, if ya get me.” She took a swig of her wine before heading back to her office. The boy blinked but nodded and went ahead to call the other examiners.  
  
     “Wheeeww this city is crowded. Let's see here...” She walked over to the map and tried to figure out where she should head from here. She frowned a little bit, not really understanding the map too well. She was used to getting a feel of the place by walking around. And normally, she would do just that in any normal situation. But right now, that wasn't a good idea considering the time crunch she was on. She frowned a little, feeling a bit antsy about this. “Well...I mean...it's not that different from back home. Sure it smells more salty here, and...the people give you weird looks. But I'm sure I'll be able to find the entrance just fine.” She laughed to herself and walked away from the map. At first she felt so homesick and now she was nervous. Was she heading in the right direction or was she getting further away? She just didn't know and that probably frustrated her more than anything else right now.  
  
     It was about an hour after she had gotten off the boat now. Jordyn hadn't gotten anywhere closer to the examination area, she didn't even know where to look at this point. The sun was already setting by this time and she just kept more and more frustrated.  


     “I'm gonna fail...because I don't even know how to look for anything.” She sighed to herself as she ruffled her hair. Out of all the ways to fail, this had to be the most frustrating. She wasn't good at tracking nor gathering information. She always went into things blindly and got lucky with figuring things out. She couldn't believe she was going to fail like this.  
  
     “You haven't changed at all I see.” She yelped as she jumped away from the voice, then turned to look at who it was. Standing beside her was a man that was a few inches taller than her with sickly grey skin, short purple hair seeming to be shaped into a mohawk, a dull look on his face, and hundreds of yellow colored needles sticking out of his body. His clothes, an odd shaped vest and normal looking pants, were a mix of green and pale green. She felt a shiver go up her spine the longer she stared at him.  
“Have I ever told you how much I hate that disguise of yours? I'm sure I have and I'm absolutely positive you use it just to scare me.” She relaxed a little, though refused to look at him for too long. She shivered again when his face started to click repeatedly like a puppets.  
“I don't have any idea what you're talking about.” He said, though seemed to enjoy her freaked out expression.  
  
     “What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you were too busy to have a vacation...or go sight seeing. Unless if you are on a job.” She glanced at him, though shuddered again.  
     “I'm here for the exam. Speaking of, Hisoka asked for me to escort you. We both knew you wouldn't be able to find the exam area on your own.” She looked rather annoyed by that, but she kept her cool. His face started to click again, this time because he started walking. She didn't look excited to follow him, but she did want to get to the examination area before time ran out. And she really didn't have any other choice. It was either follow him or fail and go home in shame.  
  
     They made their way to a restaurant, which did get her annoyed. She thought they were supposed to find the examination area, not get a bite to eat. The chef looked at the two as they walked in, already expecting them to order something.  
  
     “Welcome! What would ya like?” He asked, already preparing a meal.  
     “The steak meal.” The man answered, holding up two fingers. The chef seemed interested. This wasn't one of the escorts, but he seemed to know the code.  
     “How would you like it?”  
     “Slowly over a weak flame.”  
     “Please follow me.” A girl, most likely the waitress, escorted them to a back room where the aforementioned steak dinner was waiting. Jordyn seemed amazed. She wasn't complaining about the meal anymore. “Please enjoy.” The woman smiled, then left the room.  
  
     “It smells great! Didn't even realize I was hungry!” She laughed and took a seat on the other side of him. She grabbed a bowl of rice and broke her chopsticks apart so she could start eating. Though, when she noticed him doing the same, she felt her stomach suddenly start to twist. “Do you really have to eat in that disguise...?” He looked a little confused, though it was hard to tell if that was genuine or just what his needles were doing to his face.  
     “I have to eat too, you know.” He simply stated and started to eat. It didn't even look all that pleasant. She grimaced again, but powered through it by not looking him in the eye while she ate.  
  
     She did look a little concerned, however, as she felt the room start to move. She looked around, not sure what was going on until she noticed the floor counter over the door. Well, that was surprising. She didn't think this room was an elevator. It actually kind of amazed her. By the time they reached their floor, the meal was finished and Jordyn was stuffed. She was sure she would have plenty of energy to go for a few days now. She smiled and clapped her hands together in prayer, though this seemed to confuse Gittarakur.  
  
     “What are you doing?”  
     “Hm?...What, this?” She lifted her hands, but he just stared at them. She was sure that that was what he meant. She sighed a little and shook her head. “I'm giving thanks for the meal. You know what that is, right?” He just stared at her, obviously still confused. “I shouldn't be surprised and yet I am...” She sighed before getting up as the elevator's door opened up, showing them to the examination area where tens of thousands(or rather, hundreds) of people waited for the Hunter's Exam to begin. It was a lot more people than she was expecting, but it was actually pretty amazing. There were so many people she had to compete with and there was no doubt that they wouldn't disappoint her. Her eyes lit up in excitement at first...until she noticed a red haired clown in the crowd. She scowled again and stormed over to him, ready to yell at him for what he did back home.  
  
     “What the hell was the big idea!? Why'd you ditch me, you jerk!?” Hisoka looked down at her only to smile innocently. Even if he tried to make it innocent, it was still creepy.  
     “Oh so he found you _♦_. Good, I was getting worried _♥_.”  
     “Like hell you were!” She growled, ready to punch him as hard as she could manage.  
  
     “Excuse me, you need to take a button.” She blinked and looked down at...a rather odd looking man. His entire face was round and...green. She stared at him a moment before looking into the basket.  
     “Oh uh...yeah.” She took one of the buttons, the number 302 written on it. She pinned it to her shirt just below the clasp of her coat. He smiled at her before walking away to hand out more pins to any of the examinees that didn't have one. “That was...odd.” She had completely forgotten about her anger after seeing that oddity. It left her more confused than it did anything else. She looked around the room again, not sure where to start when it came to waiting for the exam to start. There were just so many people she could talk to or just eavesdrop on.  
  
     Just where should she begin?

 


	2. ThexExamxBegins

     “You're lucky she loses her train of thought easily.” Gittarakur mused as Jordyn went off to look at the competition. She had been yelling at Hisoka so angrily, he was sure that she would have decided to fight him without warning. Lucky for her, she got distracted. He couldn't imagine the amount of trouble he'd get in if she didn't return back home alive and in one piece.   
     “Yes, but it is fun to get her angry _♣_.” Hisoka hummed, obviously still rathered amused by her temper. Sometimes she could be the calmest person in a room and other times, like just now, she could be as furious as a storm. It was fun to see her react in such ways, he couldn't help but purposely do things that would anger her.  
  
     Now, Jordyn never really had any friends her age. They were always older than her and all she knew were adults. Part of her reason for getting away from the other two was so that she could not only see what the other contestants were like, but she was sort of hoping to find a friend here. Someone she could relate to and talk to. Well, that would be a little hard considering certain things, but regardless, she wanted to try. All of the examinees looked to be rather overly confident, though, and very smug. She liked confidence, but in a test like this, it was good to keep a level head, even if the tests themselves seem easy. And really, she didn't want to get attached to people she would lose halfway through the test. It'd just make her feel like she wasted her time.   
  
     “That curious look on your face tells me you're a rookie.” She looked a little surprised before looking down at the short, fat man. He looked friendly enough, but she wasn't so sure about him. She smiled either way and nodded.  
     “You bet. I'm pretty excited about the exam, I've been training for it since I was ten!” She laughed a little, though wasn't even exaggerating. She had been training a long time just to be able to get Kastro's approval. All of that hard work finally paid off and the more she remembered this, the more happy she got. The man seemed to notice this and he felt he could use that happiness to his advantage.   
     “Well, you're certainly brave, kid! Not a lot of rookies even make it to the exam on their first go.”  
     “Tell me about it...” She still resented the fact she had to have Gittarakur help her. But she also knew she should be grateful considering she would have had to gone home in shame if she couldn't find it. The man chuckled but seemed to understand her frustrations.   
     “Don't look so down, it's fine asking for help once in a while. Speaking of, my name is Tonpa. If you ever need help with something, don't be afraid to ask!” He smiled widely at her, getting one in return.  
     “I'm Jordyn! It's a pleasure to meet you!” She shook his hand as if they were already friends. She hummed and looked around the room. “Actually, I do have a question. Do you have any idea what we're going to be doing for the test?” She asked curiously as she looked back down at him.  
  
     It wasn't a new question in the slightest, he actually memorized an answer for this one. “No one knows what the tests consist of. They always change each and every year. So your guesses are as good as mine.” He explained and she nodded in return. “Though, there's something you gotta watch out for that's more dangerous than the test itself.”  
“Oh? And what's that?” She smiled a little, sure that whatever it was, it wasn't such a big deal. She was a rookie, she had no doubt in her mind he would be trying to get her scared. And, technically, she was right.  
     “There are veterans here that don't care about passing the test. They care a lot more about messing with the rookies. They're called Rookie Crushers, actually. You might wanna look out for them, they try mind games more than any other tactic.” He explained, though while he was expecting a look of worry on her face, he didn't get that. In fact, she looked unfazed by the explanation.  
     “Mind games? That's it?” He blinked a few times, not really sure what to say in response. Well, that wouldn't really scare anyone to begin with considering rookies with their usual egos. But he was expecting a slight hint of worry on her face.   
     “Well, aside from mind games, they'll do anything in their power to get a rookie to drop out. Like sabotaging the tests for them or pretending to be their friend only to stab them in the back later.” He explained a little further, but again, she didn't seem all that scared.   
  
     “Well, now that just sounds silly. There are casinos and underground gambling people can go to to swindle and outsmart others, why not go there?” She frowned a little, not really understanding why these people would just waste their time picking on lightweights instead of going after the real prize. She was sure she'd never understand considering she wasn't here to mess with people. She just wanted her Hunter's License.   
     “Oh you know, they're cowards! They don't want to risk getting killed just to mess with someone.” He chuckled a little, trying to lighten up the situation a little. She just stared at him blankly, however.  
     “I hear more people die in this exam than in anywhere else in the world. You can't honestly tell me that with a straight face.” She said in a monotonous tone of voice. She had heard so many scary stories about this exam, why would these rookie crushers care if they lived or died? As long as they got to mess with someone to such an extent, it should all be fine, right? She was right, she would never understand it.   
  
     Tonpa seemed to give up on trying to spook her, so he just grabbed a can of juice from his satchel and handed it to her. “Here. Think of it as a good luck drink!” He said rather happily. She just stared at the can before shaking her head.   
     “Sorry, I can't drink warm juice! It just makes me more parched. But thank you, anyway!” She smiled before moving on away from him. She wasn't lying or being sneaky. She really just didn't like warm drinks that were meant to be cold. But she would be lying if she said she didn't feel suspicious of the man. He may say he was friendly and act like it, but why would he just walk up to somebody and decide to be friends with them in an exam that was far too cutthroat for that? Then again, she was looking around for a friend as well. Either way, she did have a bad feeling about him, so she decided to get away from him as fast as she could.   
  


     However, in her hurry she didn't notice the boy heading in her direction. The two bumped into one another hard enough for both of them to stumble back a little. Jordyn looked down at the boy, immediately noticing the puffy white hair and incredibly pale skin. He was paler than her, though she usually went outside most of the time. He seemed to stay inside almost all of the time. He was much shorter than her as well, she felt like she had to kneel down just to make it feel like a fair talk or like she wasn't disrespecting him by looking down at him.   
     The boy looked up at her, seeming rather annoyed by the fact she was just staring at him.

 

     “Are you going to apologize or what?” He asked after a moment, trying to get her attention. She blinked before frowning a bit.  
     “Why should I apologize? You weren't looking where you were going! Besides, I'm older, therefore you need to apologize to me.” She smirked at him, kneeling down to his height so she could look him in the eye while talking. He didn't seem too happy with that or that she demanded an apology because she was older.  
     “You weren't looking either, old bag, so don't blame me for it!” The two glared at one another, Jordyn mostly doing it because he called her an old bag. But he was a little confused when she smiled at him and chuckled.   
     “Feisty little fella, aren't you? I like it.” She could tell he had a lot of fight in him, and she liked that in kids. It was especially needed in an exam like this where anything could happen. He seemed confused about that, however. She held her hand out to him, still smiling. “I'm Jordyn Zweiss. You ever need help at all, just come to me.” She introduced herself. Looking into his deep blue eyes, she could see a little of herself in him. She had no idea who he was or what he's been through, but the fact that she saw that made her feel like she should be able to protect him, or rather that she should protect him.   
     “I'm Killua Zoldyck. I won't be needing help during this exam so don't worry.” He said rather confidently and shook her hand. She blinked once before nodding slowly, but continued to smile regardless of what meaning his name held. He was still a little confused as to why she felt the need to offer him help. It wasn't hard finding this place and he was sure the exam itself would be even easier. Besides, she shouldn't be concerned over some kid she just met. It was weird.  
  
     She stood up again and patted his head. “Well, you never know. But good luck either way.” She waved to him, walking back through the crowd to find Hisoka again. She wasn't expecting two Zoldycks to be here. Well, to be fair, she wasn't expecting any to be here at all considering how secretive they were about things. Why would they come to such a public competition like this? She wanted to ask and she knew very well that if she asked Killua, he would get suspicious. That wasn't something she really wanted. She rubbed her chin in thought, this time making sure not to bump into anyone else.   
  
     “Well, the competition is looking promising...to me. You're probably bored out of your mind, right?” Jordyn made her way back to her annoyance of an escort, seeing he was just waiting for the exam to begin rather than exploring the place like she was.   
     “Not at all♠. There seem to be a few promising examinees here this year♦.” Hisoka hummed, though really, it was very very few people. He wasn't sure if he was making misjudgments on a few people, but he would be absolutely sure once the exam began. He was hoping for a good batch this year. It would be just boring if no one worth his time passed. Jordyn nodded, though she felt bad for anyone who caught his attention. Hopefully they could deal with someone tailing them for who knows how long. She did want to tell him about Killua, but before she could even open her mouth, someone seemingly purposely bumped into them. She growled at the man and called out to him.  
     “At least apologize, jackass.”  
     “Whatever for—ah AHHH!” The man stepped back as his arms started to disappear in a mist of pink petals. Jordyn gulped and stepped back as well before looking away and acting like she didn't know the redhead standing next to her at all.   
  
     “Well well, isn't that a little odd♣. It seems your arms are disappearing♠.” Hisoka chuckled, honestly looking like he was having fun with this. “Perhaps next time you should apologize for bumping into someone♥.”   
  
     The man continued to scream and yell about his missing arms. Even after the petals had vanished, there didn't seem to be any blood. However, his bone and muscle were clearly exposed. Jordyn, however, just kept looking away and acting like she didn't know him or even want to be around him. With that, the hack magician walked off to find something else to do, leaving her to sigh in relief and get as far from the scene as possible. She had heard stories about how Hisoka couldn't really control himself when it came to killing others or at least incapacitating people, but she was really hoping he would at least be able to control himself during the exam. A tall order to fill, but she still hoped for it. Either way, she was going to be cautious and not let herself be stuck around him during the exam. She didn't want her throat getting sliced open without even realizing it.   
  
     Just as she finally relaxed, a loud and fairly annoying alarm sounded throughout the entire chamber. Every one of the contestants looked towards the source of the noise. A man with professionally styled lavender colored hair and a curly mustache. He wore a dark purple suit with red tie. Once everyone's attention was on him, he shut the odd looking alarm off and put it in his coat pocket. He looked at the examinees with a straight face, not even showing an ounce of emotion.   
  
     “With that, the registration has ended. Now, the Hunter's Exam shall commence.” The man announced and hopped off the pipe he had been standing on. He landed with ease, then gestured to the empty tunnel in front of them. “Please, follow me.” He looked at the examinees for a moment before turning and starting to walk. “I must remind you all, though. The Hunter's Exam is extremely difficult. One wrong move, lack of skill, or even your own luck can result in you failing or possibly even dying. There are even instances of examinees incapacitating other examinees. If this doesn't bother you, then keep following me, please.” He wanted to make sure there were no cowards in the lot, though really, he didn't blame them if they wanted to leave. They still had a full life ahead of them, there was no need to waste it all here. The tunnel was filled with the sound of footsteps. The man looked back, seeing just how many were there following him. He nodded and looked ahead. “Just as expected. All 404 contestants will participate in the Hunter's Exam.”   
  


     “Well of course, who would be chicken enough to back out of some walking?” Jordyn questioned more to herself than anyone else. She wasn't scared of some walking, no one would be. It was strange to know that this would be the first test, though. It felt a little too easy. And that's when she and many others noticed the man starting to pick up speed. “Ohh...That's why it's the first exam.” She smirked and started jogging like the rest of the examinees. She still wasn't scared of the first test, but she could see how this would be effective of weeding out the examinees that just weren't fit to be Hunters.   
  
     “I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Satotz, and I am the examiner of the first test. I will now escort you to the next testing site.” He explained, not letting up his pace at all. He didn't even look like he was about to stop, anyway. A lot of the contestants seemed confused, however. Second test? Where was the first?  
     “What about the first exam?” Someone asked, getting Satotz to look behind him again.   
     “It's already begun. You must follow me to the second testing site. That is your first test. All you must do is follow me. I will not tell you how long it will be or where it is.” He explained, looking ahead again. It seemed very easy at first, almost everyone was confident they'd pass this part of the exam. But it was much much harder than they thought.  
  
     Because of the fact they had to run for an undisclosed amount of time, it would throw the examinees bodies into a panic. They didn't know how long they had to hold out and they didn't know what their destination looked like, so they couldn't rest whatsoever. This test was about endurance, both mental and physical. So what they thought might be a 40 minute run could really be a 6 hour marathon. Or perhaps it really was short and they didn't have to worry. No one knew and that's why there were already so many examinees lingering behind, wondering if there really was a stopping point.  
     Jordyn seemed fine with this, however. She just had to keep her pace and not think about how long it's been. It didn't bother her in the slightest it seemed. She was already used to running for hours on end, she didn't have anything to worry about for this first test.   
  
     Three hours later, many of the examinees had dropped out, either due to exhaustion or mental collapse. Jordyn, despite telling herself it would be a good idea to keep her distance from him, decided to take a spot running behind both Hisoka and Gittarakur. They were the only people she really knew, but she didn't converse with them at all. She just focused on running and keeping up with the others. Because of this, she's probably the only one who honestly feels bored doing this. She has no one to talk to really, and she didn't even see anyone her age in the group. Most likely a lot of them dropped out already. She knew the two in front of her wouldn't be great conversationalists, so she decided to slow her pace a little to see if she could find someone, anyone, to either mess with or converse with.   
     Tonpa, of course, notices this. Considering he wasn't able to get her to drink his laxative laced juice, he was determined to see just what it would take for her to crack.   
  
     “Hey. I'll give you a couple of jenny to go mess with #302 over there. Whaddya say?” He ran next to another Rookie Crusher, a short, black haired man who couldn't be older than 17 years old. He looked over to the woman and smirked.   
     “Seems young and impressionable. Fine.” The man ran off ahead and got into pace with her so they were running side by side. She didn't seem to notice him right away, mostly because she was focusing on finding someone worth looking at. “First time here?” He asked, which seemed to get her attention. She looked at him, though was a little surprised by his height.  
     “Of course. Why?”  
     “So you are a rookie! You look like one.” He laughed, trying to get her to lower her guard. “You know, muscles won't really get you that far in this exam. It looks like you work out, but I'm sure you're getting tired by now.” He was trying to make her feel like she was inadequate for this test. He was right, muscle wouldn't be able to get someone through the entire thing. It would take a lot more than that. It was the one thing he immediately noticed about her, considering she willingly exposed her stomach without any sort of bandaging or haramaki. “You shouldn't get so cocky either. Muscles really won't protect you against a sword.” He chuckled again, this time trying to get her to lose confidence in her lack of caution. But when he looked at her, she didn't seem fazed at all. She was actually staring at him almost blankly. She then smiled, ran ahead, then turned so she was running backwards but facing him.  
  
     “Hey, old timer, let's play a game!” He seemed surprised. She wasn't affected at all? He cleared his throat but nodded.  
     “Uh...Sure. What is it, kid?” He smirked at her, sure it was just something stupid like I Spy.  
     “It's called 'Judgment'! I give you a scenario and you have to choose your path. However, make sure you don't have any doubt in your mind of what you would do. Okay?” He seemed even more confused now.  
     “Alright...sounds fun.” He didn't sound like he thought it would be fun. She smiled widely before making a 'don don' sound and held out her arms.  
     “You're out in the woods walking your beloved pet down your usual path when suddenly a foxbear appears, ready to strike! You could leave your pet behind while you escape or you could take the chance to grab them and run away with them. What do you choose?” She stared at him, not blinking whatsoever. He just stared at her, wondering what sort of scenario was that.   
     “I take the chance to grab my pet and run away with them.” He answers, but she continues staring for a moment. She then smiles widely as her left hand falls.  
     “You leave your pet behind, leaving them to fend for themselves against the foxbear. The foxbear gores them and they wonder where their master has gone and why he didn't run away with them. That is the choice you made, now you get to live with it.” The man's eyes widen and he nearly stops running.   
     “I-I chose the other path!”  
     “Your eyes told me you had doubts about risking your life for your pet's. Your eyes don't lie, sir.” She spoke pleasantly, despite the scene she just described and the terrified look on the man's face.   
  
     “A-Another time! Let's play again!” He demanded, almost seeming desperate for some reason. She just smiled even wider and made the same 'don don' sound.  
     “During this exam you gain a group of friends. However, during one of the tests, your friends wind up being face to face with someone that will not hesitate to kill them. You can either run away to save yourself in the panic or you can stay by your friends and defend them while they get away. Make your choice.” It was essentially the same as the first question, but this time it was very much real. He did have friends here and he was planning on making it through this exam with them.   
     “I would stay by them and defend them!” She stared at him a while then smiled widely again as her left hand dropped.  
     “You run away, leaving them behind to scream and cry as they're murdered one by one, wondering why you left them behind. That is the choice you've made, now you get to live with it.” The man looks more terrified and panicked. How in the world could she tell what he was thinking? How could she see he had that sliver of doubt? There was no way his eyes told her everything. “As they say: the eyes are the gateway to the soul. It's very easy to tell what someone is thinking if you look them in the eye. You are a despicable creature not fit to have friends or family. I suggest you get out of this while you can.” She turned on her head and ran ahead, leaving the man to gradually slow his pace before he stopped moving altogether.  
  
     Tonpa stared after the woman, intimidated by the mind games she could play with people. That was a _game_!? That was the most sadistic game he's ever seen! “Perhaps I shouldn't go after that one...” He muttered to himself, deciding to stick with the small fry.   
  
     Meanwhile, Hisoka and Gittarakur had been watching the entire thing, yet they didn't seem as affected by it as other onlookers did.   
     “She's a lot more cruel than I remember. I'm actually proud.” Gittarakur hummed, getting a chuckle out of the hack magician.   
  
     Hours later, the remaining group finally makes it out of the long tunnel and out into fresh air. However, as the contestants look over the landscape, All they see is tall grass and spindly trees. Jordyn takes one sniff of the air and squeezes her nose.   
     “A marsh?” She doesn't seem too happy about being here if her dislike of the smell was anything to go by.  
     “Numere Marsh to be exact. It's also known by the name of Swindler's Swamp. To reach the second exam site, you must go through here.” Satotz turns to the group and starts explaining. “This Marsh is home to many rare species. A majority of these species are cunning, greedy, and mostly eat humans. So please, stay alert and cautious at all times. Being fooled means you're as good as dead.” He continued on, “The species that live here will stop at nothing to get their prey. The ecosystem and the wildlife's way of tricking their prey is the exact reason why this was nicknamed Swindler's Swamp. Stay alert and do not get tricked. And please, follow me closely.”   
  
     The others were a little skeptical about the marsh over all. If it was so easy to tell that they were being tricked, why should they worry about it? Well, almost everyone thought like that. There were still a few others that could tell why it would be hard to figure out if they were tricked or not. There was the mist that could screw with everyone's eyesight and perception, then there was the muddy, sour smell that could keep people from finding the other examinees, which was Jordyn's main problem. In the mist, she would usually rely on smell to get her way around, but considering how badly the swamp smelled, she wouldn't be able to track anyone or anything. And the watery, ozone smell of the mist only blurred her senses further. If she didn't stay absolutely close to the group, she knew she would be dead. It hurt her pride knowing she needed help, but she'd prefer a little bit of her pride to be taken than to be killed and eaten by some nasty creature in this marsh.  
  
     “Don't listen to him, he's lying!!” The group looked back towards the entrance to the tunnel, seeing a bloody and beaten man limping from behind it. He appeared to be holding something, but he was keeping it out of view for now. “He's a fake! I'm the real examiner!” The man yelled as he pointed to Satotz, who didn't seem amused or concerned in the slightest. This threw the group into a panic.   
  
     “A fake?”  
  
          “Then who is he?”   
  
               “What should we do?”  
  
     “Look at this!” The man pulled the thing he had been hiding out from behind the entrance, placing it on the ground in front of them. It had the body of an ape yet the face of a human. It's face looked remarkably similar to Satotz's face, which put even more doubt into the group's mind. “This is a human-faced ape that lives in the Numere Marsh. They prefer fresh human meat, but their arms and legs are extremely thin, so they have to resort to disguising themselves. They lure their prey here with a false sense of security, then they strike with the help of other species that live in the marsh. That one is doing exactly that!” It seemed like the group was listening to him and actually believing him. However, before any of them could question what was going on, three playing cards zoomed by and sliced into the man's face. The man stumbled, opening his mouth in shock, just wide enough for everyone to see the large, inhuman canine teeth the man had. He fell back, hitting the ground with a thud and one single twitch.   
Satotz also had cards flung at him, yet when everyone looked towards him, he had caught them in his hands, unharmed by the sudden attack. Everyone then looked at Hisoka when he began laughing, shuffling his deck of cards like he did nothing wrong. The ape lying next to the man's body blinked and looked at the corpse for only a moment before it hopped up and tried to make it's escape. It was hit in the back with two cards, both going straight into it's skull. It hit the ground with a thud and twitched only a few times before it's movements stopped altogether.  
  
     “This proves it, then♦. He's the real one♥.” Hisoka turned towards Satotz, who just tossed the cards aside. “Examiners are Hunters that are commissioned by the judging committee and take on this duty for free♣. It would be very strange that the person who's occupation we're all aiming for to not be able to fend off an attack like that♠.” He hummed as he put his deck of cards away.  
     “I'll take that as a compliment. However, any attack on me will now be seen as an act of rebellion and you will be disqualified immediately. Understood?” of course the examiner wasn't happy. No one would be happy if someone made such a deadly attack against them.   
      “Of course♦.” Hisoka just continued to smirk, not even caring if the examiner was mad with him. He didn't even seem fazed by the fact that he could get disqualified now if he did anything like that again.   
  
     A flock of thin, long beaked birds appeared from the trees and landed by the two corpses on the ground, not waiting for the body to decay at all. They just went ahead and started eating while the blood was still warm. Most of the examinees scrunched their noses up in disgust as well as fear. “That is the price of failure here. Again, I advise you to stay close and follow me. I can tell some of you were starting to doubt me as well, correct?” He looked back at the group before he started walking ahead again. “Now, let's continue on to the second exam site.” He started in his sprint again, not letting any of them catch their breaths whatsoever.  
  
     Jordyn made sure to stick close by Gittarakur, making sure she didn't lose sight of his green clothing or the brightly colored pins sticking out of his body. Of the 404 contestants, 311 remained. And she was not going to be one of the ones eliminated. The deeper into the marsh they got, the thicker the fog was. She could practically smell everything that was rotting and being eaten here, it actually nearly made her gag. Marshes and Swamps were her least favorite biomes because of this.   
     “You're not exploring?” He asked, honestly a little surprised she wasn't breaking from the group to cause trouble elsewhere.  
     “Are you kidding? I'd die in a second if I did that. I can't barely see anything and I'm about to throw up from the smell of this place. It's best I just behave and follow after you instead.” She liked to cause trouble and she wouldn't mind fighting some of the examinees as well, but this wasn't the time or place for that. She knew when it was important to actually follow the rules, especially if it meant her life was on the line. She gulped slightly as she started to hear screams coming from behind them and most likely farther back in the swamp. She was sure that other examinees were being tricked by the wildlife here, but she wondered if any of them had decided to ambush one another. That's when she noticed Hisoka missing from the main group. “Oh gods don't tell me...” She only glanced back for a second, hoping that the boy named Killua was alright.   
     “Watch your step, Jordyn.” Gittarakur warned her and she looked ahead again. She shouldn't be so concerned, she knew she shouldn't be. But she couldn't help it. He was just a boy, she didn't want anything bad happening to him.   
     “I can't believe he went to go mess with the other examinees. You would think he'd take this a little more seriously.” She huffed, trying to take her mind off her worry. She was annoyed, though. She'd be lost and dead in this place and yet he could get back to the group without any trouble whatsoever! It was unfair with the amount of talent he had, but then again, he had a lot more experience than she did. So it wasn't all that odd to see how much farther ahead he was of her. It still managed to annoy her, though.   
  
     It was most likely 10 minutes later when the fog started to noticeably clear up. Jordyn could see better and that sour smell was no longer in her nose. She actually took a deep breath to celebrate.   
     “Hisoka, you should come back now. We're about to reach the second exam site.” Gittarakur spoke with what looked like a walkie-talkie in his hand. Jordyn huffed and ran up next to him.   
     “You slacker, I would think you would be well ahead of us by now! Stop playing around and get your butt moving!” She yelled into the device and she heard a chuckle respond. There was some shifting sounds, like he had been crouching previously. Just what was he doing?   
     “I'll be right there♦.” He responded, and that was it. The man placed the walkie-talkie back in his pocket as the group finally made it out of the marsh and into a dense forest.   
  
     Now this is what Jordyn was used to. That fact was clear on her face with how widely she was smiling. She wondered just what was going to be the next exam. If it had anything to do with exploring the forest and grabbing a specific plant, she would most definitely pass. Or perhaps it had something to do with hunting or fishing. If so, she'd most likely be able to pass, but with some difficulty. She was more used to her farm animals than she was wild ones. Either way, she was excited. Whatever the challenge was, she was sure she'd pass one way or another given the fact they were in a forest now. They eventually came to a stop in front of a medium sized building with a clock on it's front. The contestants panted, trying to catch their breath while they weren't running. Jordyn was sweating, but she didn't look out of breath in the slightest. She still looked very much full of energy. Gittarakur was much the same, though he didn't look fatigued in the slightest. He wasn't even sweating.   
  
     As the rest of the examinees arrived, the woman took the chance to look around for Killua to make sure he was safe. Even as Satotz congratulated them, she didn't stop looking until she saw the familiar puffy white hair in the crowd. She smiled and sighed in relief, though, she couldn't help but wonder who he was talking to. She had no idea other kids were taking the exam, she actually thought that only a certain age was allowed to participate.   
  
               Of the 311 examinees, 150 now remain. What could the second exam possibly be?

 


	3. ArtxOfxCooking

     The clock on the building showed they still had enough time to catch their breaths and relax for a good thirty or so minutes. So that's what most of them did, however, it was hard not to wonder just what was going on inside the building considering the odd noises starting to come from it. Perhaps they really would have to take down a wild beast this time around.  
  
     Jordyn, while she knew she should be more focused on what was going to happen next, couldn't help herself when she noticed Killua's group of friends. The Zoldycks weren't known for being social...or friendly, so of course she wandered over to greet them.  
  
     “Yo! I didn't know you had friends here.” She greeted the boy first, which did seem to surprise him. He stared at her a moment before remembering her from the first test.  
     “Oh it's...you!” Of course, he didn't remember her name. She looked a little annoyed about that and most likely would have pinched his cheeks if she knew he was doing that on purpose.  
     “Jordyn. Jo-Ru-Di-N!” She spelled out her name for him, making sure he would remember this time.  
     “Alright alright, I'll remember! No need to nag me.” He huffed, though soon the two noticed his friends looking curiously at the two. There was a boy about his age with spiky black hair wearing an absurdly green outfit, then there was a blond boy that was about her height wearing a blue tabard that had an orange design on it and a white training uniform underneath, then there was the tallest one with short spiky hair and sideburns, wearing a white button up shirt and professional looking pants. He seemed to be the eldest of them all and she was probably right on that.  
  
     “Well, I wouldn't really-” Killua started, but the little one cut him off, looking happy to meet a new friend.  
     “I'm Gon! Are you one of Killua's friends?” The boy seemed so excited, she couldn't help but smile in return.  
     “I guess you could say that. We actually met before the exam began. He's a little brat sometimes, but I'm sure he isn't all bad.” She responded fondly which got Gon smiling just as widely as she was. The boy in question seemed far more embarrassed by it all, though.  
     “Don't look so embarrassed, he's just messing with you!” The tall one laughed as he saw Killua pouting over being teased. However, both Jordyn and Killua looked at him either not too fondly or like he had messed up. The man looked confused as to why he was getting those looks.  
  
     “What's your name, old man?”  
     “Old man!? I'm a teenager! And it's Leorio! Not just you three, but this guy, too...” Now he was the one to look angry. She nodded and crossed her arms over her chest, not looking too happy with him.  
     “I'm a girl.” She stated, looking a little annoyed.  
     “Huh?” Leorio looked a little surprised and rightfully confused. Gon and Kurapika seemed to be just as surprised as well. Killua seemed to be the only one to have figured it out without getting on her nerves. She sighed a little heavily before reaching behind her and pulling her shirt against her a little bit, showing off the laughably small bumps on her chest. She was blushing in embarrassment now, but she knew he wouldn't believe her unless she did something to convince him.  
     “She's a board...” He muttered though stiffened up as she seemed to disappear right in front of them. He looked scared as he felt something at his side, then glanced down to see what it was. Her half closed fist was touching at his ribcage while her other hand was almost touching his throat.  
     “I can tell you don't mean to be rude. But I've had enough people get on my nerves today, and I kindly ask that you don't talk down about my breasts or my body, please.” She spoke calmly and evenly, but there was that look in her eye again, the one that she gave the captain when she laughed at her reason for becoming a Hunter.  
  
     Killua, Gon, and Kurapika looked shocked. They hadn't seen her move nor did they anticipate it. Leorio was sweating bullets at this point, but nodded in understanding. She took her hands away from him, then let out a breath to relax herself.  
     “Really, small breasts aren't that bad. You shouldn't make fun of them all willy nilly like that.” She scolded him gently as she walked away from the man.  
     “Y-Yeah...sorry about that.” He sighed in relief, though his heart was still pounding. Really, it was hard for anyone to really see what she was because of her body type, so it wasn't like he did any of that on purpose. He didn't want to really piss her off, though, so he would make sure to not be rude to her in the future.  
  
     “How'd you do that?” Gon asked, trying to calm the situation down and loosen the tension a little bit. Jordyn looked at him curiously and tilted her head. “You moved really fast just now!”  
     “Oh that! I've been through a lot of training since I was ten years old, including weight training. Honestly, I'm still not at fast as some of the veterans or the examiners here, but I'm working towards it!” She smiled like nothing had happened, like she hadn't threatened Leorio or acted like she would kill someone over them poking fun at her body. It was a complete 180 which confused them the most. Either Gon was doing something right or she had just been too used to doing things like this. The boy seemed to think it was cool that she trained so hard at such a young age. However, when he noticed Leorio and Kurapika still looking a little scared and worried, he couldn't help but frown a little. He looked at her again, this time not smiling as widely as before.  
     “Jordyn...is it okay if you...apologize, please?” He spoke calmly but sounded like he really wanted her to apologize for what happened. She blinked then looked over to his friends. She noticed the looks on his friends' faces and couldn't help but frown a little. She sighed a bit and walked over to them again. Killua walked over to Gon, watching as Jordyn apologized to their friends.  
     “You remembered what I said about Hisoka...how he's like me?” He asked quietly so they couldn't hear. Gon seemed a little confused, but he did remember.  
     “Yeah...why?”  
     “She's the same way. That smell is the same as Hisoka's.”  
  
     “I'm really sorry about that. Sometimes I have a hard time controlling my temper. I didn't mean to scare you and I sincerely hope you accept my apology.” Jordyn bowed deeply to the two, really hoping that they would forgive her. She didn't like that look Gon gave her. She didn't like the sad look he had or the fact she had caused him or his friends to worry about themselves like that. The two could tell she was being sincere and it actually did make them feel a little better hearing that she wasn't completely apathetic to how they felt during her attack.  
     “You mean it?” The blond one asked, just to make sure. She looked at him and smiled before tracing an X over her chest.  
     “Cross my heart. I really mean it.”  
     “Then you're forgiven.” He looked at Leorio who sighed and nodded as well.  
     “I forgive you, too. But the next time I screw up like that, just tell me! Don't threaten me!” He scolded, which did honestly make her feel even worse about what she did.  
     “I will, I promise! I have a horrible temper, I know that. If I ever threaten you or your friends, you can hit me right here.” She tapped her chin, showing that he or any of them could hit her square on the face if she ever threatened them again. They seemed happy with that trade off, but all of them hoped that they wouldn't screw up like that again. None of them wanted to fight one another, at least not in a serious match.  
  
     They decided to sit and chat for the remaining time, telling one another why they wanted to become Hunters-well aside from Kurapika and Killua-and trying to tell one another jokes or funny experiences they had before the exam. Anything to lighten the mood further and erase any tension they had with one another. The longer they went on, though, the louder the strange noise coming from the building got.  
  
     “What in the world is going on in there?” She asked as they stood up to see if anything was happening. They looked at the clock, seeing it was almost time for the second exam to begin.  
     “Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good.” Leorio hummed as they all waited to see what would walk out of the doors. With the way those sounds echoed through the doors and into the forest, there was no doubt in their minds that something big and dangerous was behind those doors.  
     The clock's hands clicked into place, showing that it was now noon. The door opened slowly, the sound getting louder and louder the more they opened. Everyone was tense, preparing for the worst. The doors opened fully, revealing a petit, blue haired woman wearing a net shirt and ripped jean shorts. Behind the woman sat a very large, black haired man, wearing a yellow shirt that seemed one size too small and green pants that fit just right. Everyone was silent as they figured out where the strange noises were coming from, and almost instantly, the tension among the examinees was gone.  
  
     “So? You really hungry?” The woman asked, looking up at her friend.

     “Can't you hear it? I'm starving.” The man sighed as his stomach continued to growl. The woman hummed and smiled at the examinees.  
     “And because of that, the second exam is for everyone to cook up something that will satisfy us Gourmet Hunters!” Everyone seemed confused as well as surprised. After all, most of them weren't here to cook or become Gourmet Hunters. They just wanted to pass the exam.  
  
     Gourmet Hunters are Hunters that research the world's cuisine, looking for spices, fruits, vegetables, and even exotic meats to create new cuisine. It takes creativity, guts, and observation to create a new dish that is delicious, looks beautiful, and above all, fills the stomach.  
  
     “You have to satisfy us both with a single dish! Only when we both say 'delicious' does it mean you've passed. The test ends once we say we're full.” The woman explained, letting the rules set in for a moment. Of course everyone seemed panicked, they weren't expecting to have to cook today. None of them really realized what this test was about, either, which would obviously cause many problems. She looked up at her fellow examiner, still smiling. “So what's on the menu today, Buhara?” The oversized man hummed in thought before settling on a dish.  
     “Pork! I just love roasted pork.” Buhara looked to be drooling as he thought of it before looking at the examinees again. “As long as the pork comes from this forest, any type will do. Now second exam start!” He smacked his stomach, a loud, gong-like sound emanating from it. The examinees ran into the forest quickly, looking for any type of pig that might be living here.  
  
     Of course, Jordyn was confident that she would pass this with flying colors. She had Great Stamps on her farm and she knew how to kill and prepare them. Surely this test couldn't be that hard. She used her nose to lead her to a herd of pigs, recognizing the area almost instantly. Her father would take her here constantly in order to get a new bundle of piglets whenever they sold off the last batch. It may not be the exact location, but the smell was still the same. She climbed a tree to give herself a better vantage point, immediately seeing the herd of large nosed pigs just finishing a meal. “Just as I thought. This is gonna be too easy!” She laughed and hopped down to get her Great Stamp so she could start cooking. She landed on the ground and didn't hesitate to yell at a group of them to grab their attention. They squealed ferociously and charged at her without hesitation. She stood her ground, though and waited for the middle one to get close enough to her for her to place her hand on the tip of it's hard nose and heave herself up and over.  
  
     The rotund pig looked at her and tried to shake her off of it's nose, but she wouldn't fall off. “Alright, big guy, it's time for a nap.” She hummed as she made her half open fist again. She muttered a quiet prayer before using the heal of her palm to crush it's soft forehead. The Great Stamp squealed before falling to the ground without another sound. She got off it's nose and easily heaved it up above her head. She turned to see how the others were doing and was pleasantly surprised to see Gon, Killua, and their friends making easy work of the pigs. She felt proud of them but didn't waste time getting back to the exam area so she could start cooking.  
  
     There were cooking stations for each of the examinees. Every station came with an open flame grill and spit, knives, a sink, and plates. “Let's see...which slice of you am I going to use...” She hummed as she looked over her pig. She looked back at the examiners, trying to determine what sized meal they would prefer. Considering they were being tested by both of them, it had to be big enough to fill them both up. Or at least taste good. They had many dishes they had to taste, she was sure that one wouldn't fill them up. “Ham. That should be enough for both and it'll give me enough leeway considering ham is usually the sweetest cut.” She muttered to herself and started butchering the pig. Luckily for her, there was enough meat to go around so there shouldn't be any difficulties in them judging the single dish. She placed the ham onto the grill, then decided to look around the area to see what the others were doing. A lot of them were just whole roasting the pig and didn't seem like they were even basting it or doing something special with it. Her confidence went through the roof. Considering her dish was at least unique. “Haha~ This is gonna be really easy.” She laughed to herself as she cut up vegetables and potatoes to go on the side with the ham.  
  
     She plated everything once it was all done and headed up to the two examiners. She wasn't the first to hand in her dish, but she could tell that the woman wasn't very easy to please. The people ahead of her kept getting a 'no' from her yet Buhara gave them the A-OK without hesitation. She looked at her plate, hoping that it was good enough for the Hunter. She got up to the two and set her dish down in front of them. “I hope you enjoy it.” She smiled all the same, despite being a little nervous now.  
     “Well, the presentation is nice.” The woman seemed to like it. The ham itself was sitting on a bed of lettuce and sliced tomatoes with a nice helping of mashed potatoes on the side. However, they were just judging on the pork, so it was all more for the presentation points than anything. She tasted the meat and chewed for a while before looking rather annoyed. Jordyn gulped and wondered what was wrong. “It's bland! Too bland! Don't you know how to season anything!?” She tossed the dish away but Buhara caught it and ate everything on the plate regardless.  
     “I don't know, Menchi, tastes fine to me-”  
     “Oh shush! It's a 'no' for me!”  
  
     Jordyn walked back to her station in shame, feeling very depressed knowing that her ham was bland. She always thought it was juicy when she made it at home and the natural juices were always the best. “I really thought I was going to pass...” There was no time for her to make another dish, the pork would take too long to cook. And she wasn't planning on giving them thin slices, that would just be insulting. She started sniffling, feeling horrible for failing something that seemed so simple.  
  
     Meanwhile, everyone had finished giving the two Hunter's their dishes, while Menchi took a drink of her green tea. She let out a sigh as she placed the cup down before looking at the examinees. She smiled and scratched her head.  
     “Sorry! I'm all full now! The test has finished!” She said as if she was sorry for it. In the end, no one passed, which enraged a few of the examinees, such as Hisoka and Jordyn. The brunette was still on the verge of tears, but she didn't want to lose like this. She wanted to pass, she promised she would! How could she lose at such a simple test?!  
  
     “No we can't redo it! The results are the results and that's final! What do you mean this isn't the rule I set in the beginning?! The condition was that they had to get me to say 'delicious' right!? Well, none of them got me to say that! So none of them passed!” Menchi was arguing with someone over the phone it looked like.  
     “Actually, the test was about their observational skills and—”  
     “OH shut up!” Buhara was trying his best to reason with her, but unfortunately for him and the examinees, it just wasn't possible it seemed. Whenever she got into a tantrum like this, it was hard to get her out of it. “Either way, my ruling stands! No one passes!” She hung up on whoever she was talking to and tossed the phone somewhere else. Her word was final and there was nothing any of them could do to get around it.  
  
     Before anyone could act, another contestant smashed a cooking station with his fist, not looking happy in the slightest about the ruling. “I'm not going to accept this...I am not going home like this!” The man stalked towards the examiner, looking like he was about ready to fight her. “I'm not striving to become a cook or a gourmet Hunter! I want to become a Hunter! Not just any Hunter, but a Blacklist Hunter! I won't let a petty Gourmet Hunter like you decide my future!” He yelled harshly at the woman, not even holding back. It surprised a lot of the contestants. However, Menchi didn't look at all fazed by his yelling.  
     “That's just too bad. You got unlucky with the examiner for this test. Try harder next year, 'kay?” She sounded so casual, like she wasn't affected at all by his shouting or even his threats. He gritted his teeth and lifted his fist to punch her, however Buhara used his large hand to smack him away and through a window to the outside. She didn't look pleased with his interference and even muttered something to him that the examinees couldn't hear. She then stood up, wielding butcher knives in her hands.  
  
     “A Blacklist Hunter? Don't make me laugh! You couldn't even stand a single blow from a Gourmet Hunter!” She yelled out to the unconscious man. She started to juggle her knives with ease, though her annoyed look didn't seem to go away. “It doesn't matter what kind of Hunter you're aiming to become. Any kind of Hunter has at least one martial art that he or she can rely on!” She caught her knives with ease, three in both hands. “Even Gourmet Hunters have to venture into beast's lairs to look for ingredients, and if we come across poachers, we have to fight and capture them! You naturally learn how to fight if you're a Hunter! What I want to see is everyone's spirit of challenging the unknown!” Suddenly, there was a whirring sound overhead and an old voice speaking over a megaphone. 

          “Even so, isn't failing everyone a little too much?”  
  
     The examinees ran outside to see what was going on, only to see a Hunter Association airship flying overhead. “Is it the judging committee?” They wondered as they stared up at the airship. They saw a speck leap out of it, falling towards the ground and landing with ease. An old man stood in the dust that he kicked up upon landing, his bushy eyebrows, crooked beard, and short tied up hair still swaying from the wind. He wore a white and blue men's kimono and a pair of one toothed geta. It surprised a lot of the examinees to see an old man fall from such a height and not be hurt whatsoever. He was casually strolling towards Menchi, making everyone wonder just who he was.  
  
     “Chairman Netero...he's the director of the Hunter Exam.” Menchi explained, which surprised everyone. He was so old, they didn't think he really was the chairman. Then again, none of them had ever seen him before.  
     “I'm just a figurehead, all I do is sit around, only showing up to take care of some problems.” He said humbly before getting Menchi's attention. She stiffened up right away, showing him the utmost respect. This also surprised everyone considering just how stubborn she was before he showed up. “You sought for them to seek the challenge of the unknown, and you decided to fail all of them because of their attitudes?” The old man spoke like a scolding father, however, his eyes seemed to be staring a little south of her face.  
     “Well...no. They all seemed to underestimate cooking, so I kind of lost my temper. And then I got full from tasting their dishes...” It was strange for the examinees to see Menchi looking a child that just got caught doing something bad. She was so strict and mean just a few moments ago. It was amazing just how much power the chairman had.  
     “So you realize there was an error in your judging?” He asked to which she affirmed in embarrassment.  
     “I apologize! I tend to lose control of myself when it comes to cooking. I'm a failure of an examiner. I'll resign as an examiner, so please disregard the results of the test.” She seemed just as reluctant to admit this, but she apologized either way knowing she had screwed up. The man Buhara had knocked out got up, holding his bloodied nose.  
  
     While the examinees were happy that the judgment was rescinded, they couldn't help but wonder what sort of test they would have to take instead. The testers were full and they were sure that it was getting too late to go out and hunt another animal to prepare. The Chairman hummed in thought before nodding to himself.  
     “The chosen menu was obviously too difficult, so we can't go on with that test. We will continue with the exam, but I have an idea. The new test will have you demonstrate it personally before the examinees begin. That seems fair, doesn't it?” He suggested, actually looking a little enthusiastic about it. Menchi didn't say anything right away. “And it'll make the testers much more accepting of the results.” He added, just to drive home his point a little more.  
  
     She thought a moment on it before a smile returned to her face. “Alright then. Your new test is...boiled egg.” She seemed enthusiastic about it, though everyone else looked confused. “Chairman, can you take us to that mountain over there?” Menchi pointed to a tall, flat mountain in the distance. Netero looked in the direction and hummed before smiling.  
     “I see. Certainly!”  
  
     The airship landed in the clearing, allowing the examinees to get on board. The ride was quick, they arrived to the mountain in thirty minutes or so from the forest. Once off the ship, the examinees noticed the strong winds and the whistling coming from the chasm that split the mountain in two. Menchi walked over to the chasm and pointed down into it. “Down here.” She seemed confident and some of the students, even Jordyn, looked down into the chasm to see what could possibly be down there. It wasn't easy to see much, but there were a few...things glistening in the light whenever it managed to catch it. Jordyn squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look. She swore she knew what this was the home of, but she forgot the name.  
  
     Menchi took her shoes off and stretched a little. “Don't worry, there's a river below. But the current is pretty strong, so you'll get swept out to sea.” She explained before walking to the edge of the cliff. “I'll go first!” She jumped off without hesitation, shocking most of the examinees. Jordyn finally realized what she was going after and what she wanted them to do.  
     “This is an Eagle-Spider's nest isn't it?” She looked back to the old man, who seemed pleasantly surprised before nodding.  
     “Yes. They nest their eggs in the canyon to protect them from land predators. All you have to do is grab one of the sturdy threads, grab an egg, climb back up, and that's it.” He explained as Menchi climbed back up and presented the examinees with the shiny black egg.  
     “All you have to do is boil it!” She smiled rather happily. Of course, the man who mocked her earlier seemed skeptical. Who would risk their lives like that for an egg?  
  
     Jordyn looked rather confident however, along with Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio and a few of the other examinees. “Sounds a lot easier than cooking a pig!” She cheered and stood at the edge of the mountain with the others.  
     “Yeah! I was waiting for something like this!” Gon said excitedly, joining her at the edge as did the others. They counted to three before hopping down into the chasm without a second thought.  
  
     Once all the examinees got their eggs, they boiled them all together. There were a handful of testers that didn't even attempt the jump, therefore failing the exam. Menchi picked up a cooled egg and held one up compared to a normal boiled egg.  
  
     “This one is a regular boiled egg, and this one is the Eagle-Spider boiled egg. Compare the two carefully.” The examinees looked at one another before taking a taste of the regular egg first, then the Eagle-Spider egg. The difference was very easily noticeable, and most of the students were left in awe at the taste.  
  
     “Delicious!”  
          “The rich and deep flavor, it practically melts on your tongue! The regular egg is incomparable!”  
  
     “I'm definitely coming back here to grab more of these. These are delicious!” Jordyn chimed as she ate her egg. The white of the egg was, well, white yet the yolk was black. It didn't smell or look much different from the regular egg, but the taste was like heaven! No doubt it could make cakes, breads, and even meats taste even better. She didn't mind if it was a long trip here, she would be more than happy to grab a few for herself.  
  
     “Do you understand of the joy that comes with discovering something so delicious? That's what we Gourmet Hunters risk our lives for.” Menchi spoke softly and proudly, happy to see that the testers understood why she had gotten so angry over them not taking this seriously. Even the man that had mocked her and wound up not even passing this exam, tried the egg and realized why it was so important to her.  
  
               In the end, 42 examinees passed.  
  
     With night approaching, the examinees that passed boarded the airship again, being told that they had to use it to get to the next testing area. Netero had them gather at the control deck so he could introduce himself.  
     “I wasn't originally supposed to reveal myself until the final exam, but I came much sooner than expected. And I feel it's best to introduce myself to the remaining 42 examinees. My name is Netero, I am responsible for the exams and a member of the organization committee.” It was obvious he was trying to be friendly, yet the room held so much tension. It was actually a little uncomfortable. But he smiled and acted friendly nonetheless. “Your anxiety is understandable, but for the time being, please don't mind my company!” He chuckled and let the odd, green colored man take care of the rest of the talking.  
     “We should arrive tomorrow around eight o' clock to the next exam area. Until then, you're allowed to do whatever you like.” Neither him or Netero seemed to be tense unlike the other examinees. It was strange, but understandable.  
  
     Jordyn seemed rather excited to be able to roam around the ship freely. She immediately ran off out of the room and looked for the perfect spot to sit so she could watch the passing scenery below. She sat at one of the benches, watching the lights of the cities glow in the night. It was amazing to her, she had never seen something so pretty. There were even lights on the mountains where she didn't think people even lived. “It's beautiful.” She hummed and leaned her head into her arms, not able to sleep with such a pretty sight in front of her. She wasn't even tired after such an exciting day, so she could safely stay up all night without worry.  
  
     “I take it you've never been on an airship before.” She blinked and looked to her left, seeing Gittarakur standing there, his oddly shaped face still clicking.  
     “Oh it's you.” She blinked before looking back at the scenery. “Nope. Other than getting a ride to the mountain, this is the only time I've ever been on an airship. I never knew it could be so amazing. I would have taken an airship to Zaban instead if I knew this.” She hummed, not seeming annoyed with his presence or the fact he still looked grotesque. For once, she actually felt calm around the man. Maybe it was because of the scenery and the glowing yellow lights below. She heard him sit down, though he was actually polite for once and didn't get into her personal space.  
     “I see you're getting along with Killu.” He didn't linger too long on the previous conversation, he just got right to the thing that had been on his mind for a while. She hummed and smiled.  
     “He's a good kid. Kind of a shame that you're his brother, though. He could do a lot of great things, I can tell. He's certainly not as coldhearted as you are, though, which is a good thing.” She teased, though was overall happy talking about the boy.  
     “What are you talking about? Of course he is. Father and I raised him that way, after all.” He hummed stubbornly, looking down at the city as well. She sighed a little heavily. He may not seem like it, but he really was stubborn. She was stubborn as well, but she didn't like it too much on him.  
     “Keep tellin' yourself that. He might even surprise you one day.” She said with a sigh, though was smiling.  
  
     After a few moments of silence, the man finally left her side to get some rest, leaving her to watch the scenery for the night by herself. She didn't know what the next exam was, but when she saw the city eventually fade and saw the rolling, glistening waves of the ocean, she couldn't help but get a little curious and very excited to know what would happen next.

 


	4. ReadyxSetxGo

     Jordyn wound up staying awake the entire night, watching the scenery pass by slowly and listening to the engines whirring on the airship as well as the very subtle and quiet sound of the rolling waves below. Just like the odd man said, she saw the island coming into view around eight o' clock in the morning. She stood up from the bench and walked towards the entrance to the airship, meeting the other examinees there.   
  
          “ _To all passengers: We have arrived at our destination._ ”   
  
     The rest of the examinees woke up and made their way to the entrance of the airship, wondering just where they were. The ship landed on what they could only guess was an incredibly tall tower. There were no other people on the top, just them and the wind.   
     “Where are we? There's no one else here.” One of the examinees noted as they looked around.  
     “What do they want us to do?” Another asked, considering there didn't seem to be any entrances or staircases going down the tower.   
  
     The odd man from last night stood in front of the group politely, holding his hands behind his back.   
     “This place is called 'Trick Tower'. This is where the third exam begins. Concerning the exam itself, these are the examiner's orders: You must reach the bottom of the tower within 72 hours. Alive of course.” With that, he got back on the airship so it could take off, leaving the examinees to figure out how to get inside the tower. Over the megaphone, they heard one last 'Good luck' from the man, but it didn't seem to make any of them feel better.   
  
     Jordyn and many others walked to the edge of the tower, looking down over the side. There were no windows and the surface seemed so smooth it must be impossible to grip. However, she seemed to be hesitant to climb down for another reason. There were no birds around. They were in the middle of the sea, there should be a few seagulls or king fishers around. But there were none at all.   
     “Descending the wall is surely suicide...” One of the examinees hummed as he looked over the edge.   
     “Heh for an ordinary guy, yeah. But when you've been rock climbing most of your life, it's pretty easy.” They looked at a muscular man who seemed very confident about the method. He didn't even take time to consider the consequences before he started to climb down the tower. She was still skeptical as she watched him climb down. He wasn't even a quarter of the way down before she heard flapping in the distance. She looked up, seeing large figures closing in on the tower.   
     “I knew it...” She stepped back from the edge and watched as large, demon-faced avians flocked around the man and started to tear him apart with their teeth, all while he was screaming for help. She sighed and shook her head. “Well, jumping down isn't the way to go, then...nasty things.” She huffed before looking around the surface of the tower. She couldn't see anything strange or out of place about the roof. It was just all flat.   
  


     It was most likely an hour or two later before she started to notice the group getting smaller and smaller. They obviously found a way down into the tower, but she had yet to find anything. She was starting to get frustrated and it showed on her face. She decided to see how Killua and Gon were doing in finding an entrance and was a little happy to see they hadn't found one yet. She wouldn't be very happy knowing she was alone up here.   
  
     “Yo. Find anything yet?” She asked and could see they seemed confused about something.  
     “Huh? Oh, I think we might have.” Killua answered and let Gon explain.  
     “We watched somebody disappear right in front of us, so the entrances must be hidden. But they lock up after they're used. So we haven't found another entrance just yet.” Gon explained with a small smile. It was good they knew how to enter now, but it did them no good if they couldn't find another entrance.   
     “Trap doors? That's what we're looking for?” They both nodded, making her smile. “If I had known that, I would have been walking over every inch of this place! Well, it shouldn't be too hard. You just have to walk lightly and see which panel gives.” She hummed and started to tap her foot over the surface. It was very simple and they seemed to take the idea seriously by mimicking her foot taps. “I'll tell you if I find anything I pro-MISE!?” She wasn't looking where she was walking and wound up falling through an entrance. The boys ran over to where she was and tapped the door, however they seemed a little second-hand embarrassed by the fact she didn't take her own advice.   
  
     “Oof!” Jordyn landed on the hard ground with a thud, then a bright light shone down on her. She squinted her eyes as she got up and took a look around. The room was very tiny, there was only enough room for her to stretch her body out lengthwise. “A stable?” She wondered and looked around. That couldn't be right. The wall in front of her and at her back were brick while the sides of her 'room' were bars. It reminded her of a cage almost. She noticed other bright lights shining in the rooms next to her, all with examinees in them. They looked just as confused as she was, even trying to ask one another what was going on. None of them knew, though wondered if they were going to be treated as animals for some reason. Sure the rooms reminded them of animal cages or even stables, but they had to descend the tower, not fight needlessly on one floor.  
  
     Suddenly, a loud buzzer sound blared above them. They looked up, seeing what looked like a sideways traffic light. Jordyn blinked before she brightened up. She giggled to herself as she got into a runner's ready stance. “Don't know why we have to run again, but it shouldn't be that hard. I ran half way across the country when I was just ten.” She sounded confident and she should be. She did run half way across the Padokea continent when she was very young and while she didn't sleep last night, she still felt she had enough energy to run for another few hours. The other examinees seemed to notice the stance she was getting into and did the same.   
  
     She watched the red light carefully, listening to each buzzing horn that sounded after they were lit up. As soon as the light turned green and the high pitched buzzer sounded, she dashed out of the room. None of them had to wait for their doors to open, the walls in front of them shot up fast enough so there was no collision with any of them. The runners entered a long hallway with only a few scarce barred windows in between them. The rest was brick walls. She didn't concentrate on who was beside her or who she was beating, she just focused on getting to the next room.   
  
     The door slammed shut behind her as she entered a large room where 4 of the 6 runners stopped to look at what they should do. The room had a drop off into the abyss, the only way to get across to the other door was to use the small or medium platforms that seemed to wobble over the abyss. While the other examinees were hesitant to go head first across the chasm, Jordyn didn't hesitate. She saw the correct path easily and jumped from platform to platform with ease, not standing on them long enough for the platforms to wobble and fall over. The other examinees followed her example, trying to be as quick as they could across the set path. One examinee was far too hesitant however, and wound up causing an imbalance to one of the platforms. They could hear him screaming as he fell down the chasm, but none of them looked back to help him. The door slammed shut again, leaving Jordyn and 3 other examinees to figure out the next puzzle.   
  
     The room had no doors, yet there were holes in the ground. Some had moss growing around them, others had nothing around them. Jordyn stopped her running in this room to look around.  
     “Well this is easy! We take the ones with the moss around them, right? That means they go outside!” One of the runners stated enthusiastically and walked towards one of the holes.   
     “No, wait!” She tried to stop him, but he jumped down before she could grab him. She flinched as she heard something pierce into the examinee's body. She and the remaining two walked to the whole, seeing the corpse impaled on what looked like stalagmites.   
     “So we have to go slow on this one...” One of them muttered as they stepped away from the hole. She looked at the two before sighing.  
     “You wanna get out of here alive?” She asked, looking pretty serious.   
     “Of course we do! Why wouldn't we!?” A scrawny looking man yelled at her. He seemed to be panicking. She would be too if she didn't know which hole to take.   
     “Do you have a plan?” The other asked, clearly the calmer of the two.  
  
     She tapped her nose and smirked. “I know this is supposed to be some kind of rat race, but I want some competition if I'm going to win this. Real moss and flora have a distinct smell to them. And since we're going down to the ground level, we have to sniff that out.” She explained and started to go to each hole, beginning to sniff each one.  
     “Are you serious? We have to rely on _your_ nose? How do we know if it's a trick?” The scrawny one was pretty skeptical and she didn't blame him for it.   
     “I'll jump down first then. If I die, I die, but you'll know which ones to not jump down.” She explained as she kept sniffing. “Now shut up and let me concentrate.” She ordered. The scrawny man looked like he wanted to punch her, but the larger one kept him from doing so and just let her do her thing.   
  
     “Found it! It's this one!” She looked back at them, pointing at the hole confidently.  
     “That one doesn't even have moss on it!” She scowled at the man before standing up again.   
     “I told you I'll jump first. If you still don't believe me, then fine. But I'm gonna go pass now.” She waved to them and jumped down the hole. The two ran over and looked down, not seeing her body anywhere. They looked at one another before sighing and followed after her.   
  
     Jordyn looked rather surprised as she slide down the hole as if it was a slide. She didn't think something so fun would be in such a deadly exam. None of them knew how long this tube went on for, though. For all they knew, it would take them down to the wire. If it weren't so uncomfortable, Jordyn would actually be tempted to take a nap. “Hey!” She called up to the two to see if they had followed her. She heard yelling above her and smiled. Now she had competition! It would just be too boring to go on with this race alone if she had no one to compete with. After all, it seemed this test was about senses as well as not getting too overly confident with your judgment. Or the test itself was just to lessen the number of contestants left. She wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason for this, though she was sure all of the examinees had different tests to take in this tower. She was sure there were mazes as well as tests that had to test their teamwork. Something that would cause a rift with the senses as well as their communication skills.  
  
     Jordyn was sure they had been in the tube for over two hours. But the longer they descended, the stronger the moss smell became. Eventually, she could see a light at the end of the tunnel, literally. “There's a light! We're almost there so get ready!” She called up to them as she lifted her arms and bent her legs so she could roll on the way out. Otherwise, she was sure she would damage her legs if she landed on them without some sort of cushion.   
  
     Eventually she reached the drop off and rolled as soon as she felt her boots hit the concrete ground. She quickly corrected herself and ran out of the room with the other two following shortly after her. They stopped in the next room to get a feel for the trial that they had to complete now. However, they quickly realized that they had no time to think it over as they saw the doors in front of them begin to close.   
     “It's a time trial, we have to move now!” She stated and began running again, the other two following her quickly. However, they seemed to be able to understand that she still had a lot of stamina left while they were running out of it.   
  
     “How much stamina does this guy have?” The scrawny one all but grumbled as he watched her coat tails waving behind her.   
     “Don't know...all I know is that it's annoying.” The other man muttered as well. They had trained so long and so hard for this exam, yet some oddly dressed weirdo was beating them in this race. They were angry, but most would say for the wrong reasons. They just didn't train enough nor were they gifted with this much stamina, endurance, or natural strength. Jordyn even admits she got lucky with her genes, but she never once felt burdened or like life was boring because of it. In fact, even if she was beating these two fully grown men, she still had much to learn and still needed to get so much stronger.   
  
     The fourth room seemed to be the longest room of them all and the longer it went on, the faster the doors seemed to be closing. The larger man started to pant and lose his breath while the shorter, scrawnier one still had a bit left in him.  
     “Go on...I'll just take it next year...” The man panted as he stopped in a room and let the door close on him.   
     “Dammit!” The little one yelled and strained himself to get closer to her. He wasn't going to have this. If he couldn't beat a rookie, how was he supposed to be able to keep his pride intact? “I'm not going down! Not unless you're going down, too!” He grabbed one of her coat tails and pulled.  
Jordyn was thoroughly surprised and looked behind her to see the scrawny man tugging her coat. She looked ahead at the door, seeing it was closing a little quicker.   
     “I don't have time for this!” She yelled and unbuttoned her coat, even though it pained her to do so. The man fell back as she ditched the green coat and continued on running. Now she was only in her sleeveless midriff shirt as well as her harem pants.   
  
     She slid under the door and into the fifth room, skidding to a halt on the concrete. She was sweating by now, mostly due to the tension and stress she was feeling, rather than the fatigue. She knew she would need a good sleep after this, no more staying up all night. She stood up and dusted herself off before looking up to see a rather large figure standing in front of her. If she didn't know any better, she'd think the cloaked figure was a giant. His stomach was rotund, but she could tell it was nothing but pure muscle. His arms and legs were the same. It was light staring down a steel fortress to her.   
  
     “The examinee is here. Unshackle me, dammit!” The figure yelled loudly and it seemed he request was granted. The shackles on his arms and legs snapped off and hit the ground, actually managing to break the concrete below. The man took off his cloak, revealing his scarred, stern face. He looked down at her, staring for a while before laughing loudly. “So puny! This is gonna be like crushing a dog!” He bellowed, still laughing loudly. She frowned a little and readied herself for anything. She got into her fighting stance, though this time both of her arms were outstretched in front of her. It was a way to block anything that would come at her. However, even she wasn't sure if she could defeat this beast with her simple techniques.  
  
     Her fighting style was all about defending her body while making hit and run attacks. It was aptly named the Leopard fighting style because of this. She would usually hit the stomach or the ribs and then use a leopard claw to tear her opponent's throats. But with this man, it would be difficult if not impossible for her to do this without getting hurt. His arms were large, he could smack her away just like Buhara did that one examinee. Or he could grab her and crush her like he said. And even then, she didn't know how hard his muscles were, so for all she knew, he wouldn't even feel her attacking his pressure points which would leave her open for all sorts of counters. She narrowed her eyes as she thought of all the possible outcomes. It wasn't any good no matter what she thought of. She would just be getting hurt and that wasn't good. She couldn't risk a broken rib or arm in this exam, it would just cripple her and she would most likely fail later on.   
  
     She looked behind the man, trying to see the door and wonder if she could just zip by him instead. She clicked her tongue however as she saw it starting to close, yet it was much slower than the last few rooms in the fourth room. She looked at the man again, trying to think of a proper outcome for this. The man seemed to laugh as he saw her take her stance.  
  
     “You really think you can beat me?! I'm Korotame Momikeshi!” He blared confidently. She stared at him a moment before deadpanning.  
     “Who?” He seemed offended by this, of course. She didn't know anyone by that name, nor did she really care. She was just trying to find ways to save her own skin.   
     “Who!? You insolent brat! I'm known far and wide for killing hundreds of people! Crushing, stomping, disemboweling, how have you not heard of me!?” She blinked again, still giving him a deadpanned look. It was probably because she knew killers that actually had a reputation under their belt, but this man seemed like a small fry compared to them and even herself.   
  
     She looked at the door again before smirking. “Hmm...I think I need a little refresher! You say you crush people, right? How about we try something that involves crushing...in a way.” She hummed as she changed her stance. She spread her legs, placing her right hand on her right thigh, then touched her left fist down to the ground. “It's called Sumo! Whoever pushes and crushes the other first is the winner.” She hummed, feeling confident about this plan of hers. The man looked at her, still obviously angry, but he was grinning now.  
     “I'm the champion Sumo back home. I'm banned from competitions, though. I'm sure you'll find out why.” He took the same stance as she did, touching his left fist to the ground while his right hand was placed on his right thigh.   
  
     They stared one another down for a moment before Jordyn yelled loudly and charged him. He charged her as well and the two slammed into one another. However, he couldn't make her budge. He looked shocked and a little panicked.  
     “Why aren't you moving!? What's going on here!?”   
     “I knew it. You might be built like a bull, but it's really all for show, huh?” She started to push him back, even getting enough momentum to push him just under the door where it landed on his head, keeping him in place. She let go of him and jumped back, seeing he was completely immobile.   
     “H-How...How could this...” He didn't seem to feel the pressure gradually weighing down on his head just yet. He was just too shocked knowing that such a puny person was able to push him back into the door. She patted his stomach before ducking underneath him, leaving the room quickly before the door eventually squashed the large man.   
     “Looks like all that training at the testing gate really paid off.” She hummed as she casually walked towards the final door.   
  
     The door opened slowly as she neared it, then walked out to the large lobby which was lit only by a few torches places on the walls and in the center of the room. In all honesty, Jordyn was expecting to be the first to reach the bottom of the tower. She felt like she had the shortest trial of them all, and considering it was a timed race, she was very sure she was the first to reach. However, as she entered the lobby, she saw three people already there. Hisoka, Gittarakur, and the bald man named Hanzo. Her shoulders slumped as she saw them, looking at them in utter disbelief.   
  
          “ _Third round, fourth arrived: #302 Jordyn Zweiss! Time used: 7 Hours 00 Minutes!_ ” a voice announced over a speaker, which didn't make her feel any better.   
  
     “How the hell did you guys make it down here before me!?” She asked as she ran up to the two, who were playing cards.   
     “We were just much quicker than you♦. That's all♣.” Hisoka hummed as he took a card from Gittarakur's hand. He looked at her and seemed a little surprised at her appearance. She looked like she had just ran for her life, which was odd since her speed and her endurance were her two main strengths. The other looked at her as well, also noticing how stressed out she looked.  
     “What happened?” He simply asked before taking a card from Hisoka's hand, only to seem disappointed when he saw it was the Joker card.   
  
     She grumbled and sat down on the ground, deciding to join them in their card game. “Had to race down here. I was on a time trial and at the end I had to fight some mountain of a man. He was all show, though.” She explained as the cards were gathered together, reshuffled, and dealt out to each of them.   
     “You're also missing your coat♠.” The redhead pointed out as they began playing cards.  
     “Don't remind me! It was my favorite one, too...” She muttered as she took a card from Gittarakur's hand. She was right to put her number tag on her actual shirt. She just knew that something like this was going to happen. She had hoped she was just over thinking things, but of course, she wasn't.   
     “You drew a joker already. How unlucky.”  
     “I'm not in the mood for your sass right now, needle man!”

 


	5. PatiencexAndxPerseverance

     The test was to last 72 hours. In that time frame, Examinees had to make it down to the base of the tower. The first four to reach the bottom were Hisoka, Gittarakur, Hanzo, and Jordyn.   
     Jordyn was tasked with racing six other examinees down to the base of the tower. She won, however she was noticeably exhausted due to the stress of the trial. The fact she lost her favorite jacket didn't really help with her fatigue at all. Considering she had only spent 7 hours on the exam overall, she decided to rest herself for the remaining hours, only getting up to eat when meals were provided or if she wanted to play a few more rounds of cards with Hisoka and Gittarakur. Every time she woke up, however, she noticed more and more people in the lobby. But none of them were Gon's group. It did worry her, but she didn't think too much on it until the final day when there was only three minutes left to the exam.  
  
     “Time's almost up...They have to be close by now.” She muttered to herself as she kept watch of the individual doors like some sort of guard dog. She wanted to see Gon and his friends walk out of those doors with excitement and triumph on their faces. She perked up as one of the doors started to open, only to look disappointed seeing a half-dead man walk out. He fell to the ground and others flocked around him to see if he was fine, but she just didn't seem to care.   
  
          “ _One Minute remaining._ ” She growled at the speaker before looking at the other doors again. She believed in them, she was sure they would pass this trial. She sighed a little, though perked up when she heard another door starting to open. The others looked over as well to see who was the other passing examinees.   
  
     Gon, Killua, and Kurapika walked out, looking tired and like they had to fight something or someone. They were dirty and covered in dust. Jordyn immediately got up and ran over to them. “You made it! I was starting to get worried!” She smiled at them, though got a few chuckles out of them.   
     “Hey, your jacket's missing.” Killua pointed out, actually a little curious as to why she looked just as beat up as well.   
     “Don't remind me! Ugh...If I ever see that man again I'm going to kill him...” She muttered before looking around. “Speaking of, where's the big one?”   
     “Hm? Oh...he should be right behind us.” Kurapika answered and looked back at the door, watching as Leorio and Tonpa walked out.   
  
     “That was a pretty risky plan! But we made it!” He chimed happily.   
     “If it weren't for Gon, we probably would have failed.” Kurapika explained, giving Jordyn all the details while Gon just scratched his head and stuck his tongue out bashfully. She had to admit, for such a young kid, he was smart. She didn't think she'd be able to come up with a plan like that even if she wanted to. He was certainly full of surprises, she would actually like to see how he fights as well. He must come up with some amazing tactics in battle. After all, if he was able to come up with a plan like that at the last minute, then surely he came up with some clever moves in battle.   
  
               “ _End of the third exam! Results: 25 examinees pass (Including one dead)!_ ”   
  
     The large doors to the tower opened, letting the remaining examinees exit and group outside the large tower. Standing towards the edge of the cliff the building was situated on was a short man with large, circular glasses and a tall mohawk.   
     “Congratulation on passing the third exam. You have two more trials to get through. The fourth and final round are just ahead.” The man said which seemed to get a lot of their hopes up. Yes, they were hoping for easy trials, but they knew better than to full believe that anything would be easy beyond this point. He turned and pointed to an island in the distance. “The fourth exam will be taking place on Zebil's Island.” He then snapped his fingers and a man walked up next to him with a black and red box in hand. “Let's get on with it then!”   
  
     The examinees stared at the box, wondering why they suddenly had to do a lottery. The examiner smiled wickedly as he lowered his head. “You will be drawing to see who is the hunter and who is the prey.” He stated, getting their attention very quickly. He held up a hand as he began explaining further. “There are 24 numbered cards in this box. The numbers are the numbers that are on your tags. You all will pick a card in the order of who passed the third exam.” The examinees began to line up, Hisoka being the first to pick from the box. He looked at his card, then walked out of the line. Gittarakur did the same, then Hanzo, then eventually Jordyn, so on and so forth.   
  
     Jordyn stared at her card, only glancing up quickly as she passed the other examinees in the line. The number on her card read '#281'. As soon as she found who it was, she was quick to put both the card and her tag in her shirt. Once the others had gotten their numbered cards, it seemed everyone had the same idea and hid their tags from one another.   
  


     “Everyone has a card? Good. Now, your personal number and the one you picked from the box have been recorded by the machine. You're free to do whatever you want with the card you drew. The contestant with the number you drew is, from now on, your target. You must retrieve the numbered tag from your target. If you succeed in taking their tag, you get three points. If you have your personal number tag, you automatically have three points. Any other tag is one point. To pass this exam, you must have a total of six points. And you must get those six points during your time on Zebil Island.” He explained, seeing the uneasy looks on all of the examinee's faces. It actually got him to chuckle before he lead them to the boat they would be taking to the island.

 

     Once on the boat, Jordyn didn't waste any time going to the railing to watch the waves pass by. It relaxed her very easily and she knew she would need that. No one knew who they were the target of or who they were targeting. Since everyone hid their tags, it wasn't a surprise to see everyone on edge. Even she was, but watching the waves roll by and dipping her hand into the cool water relaxed her a lot more than she could have thought. She was terrified of being the target of Gittarakur or Hisoka, however and she couldn't help but always feel just the tiniest bit of tension every time she thought of it. She was hoping it was someone else entirely, someone that she could easily take down. She knew her target would be easy to take down, he didn't seem at all strong or even cunning. But what was the problem was the fact he had a sword. If she could ambush him quickly, she should be able to take his tag quickly enough.   
  
     “Firstly, congratulations on making it this far, contestants! We'll be arriving at Zebil Island in two hours time. Remember, you can always take the exam next year, so please don't get discouraged if you fail this round!” A woman dressed in pink and wearing a headset announced in a rather chipper mood, however, the examinees didn't seem too happy about her enthusiasm. She gulped but kept smiling. “U-Uhm, well, the ship arrives in two hours! Please enjoy the ride!” She quickly escaped into the little captain's room of the ship, leaving the contestants to be on edge for the remaining time.   
  
     The two hours went by very slowly, almost agonizingly slow. All of them were itching to get off the boat and start the fourth trial. It didn't really feel too nice knowing that there was someone on this ship targeting you. Everyone just wanted to spread out and think of an attack plan. But eventually, the boat did arrive to the island and they all felt a little relieved.   
     “Please leave the boat in the order of your arrival to the bottom of trick tower in the last exam! There will be a two minute delay for the next contestant to leave the boat. You will stay exactly one week on the island. You must get your six points by the end of that time. Once you have, you must come back to this exact spot.” The woman announced as they waited by the entrance of the boat to leave. Hisoka was the first to leave, of course, then there was the two minute wait.   
It really proved to be important for the order of who completed the last trial. The first ones were able to hide and watch the others while the last ones were on a scramble to find their target before their target spotted them.   
  
     Jordyn's turn eventually came up and she left the boat calmly, though not before wishing good luck to the others. She soon as she knew she was out of sight, she climbed a tree and waited on a thick branch for her target to come waltzing by. She wanted to get this part of the exam done and over with quickly so she could rest the entire week. She had no problems hiding herself, in fact, she felt it was the easiest thing to do. It was just getting that tag that would prove to be the problem. She had no long ranged weaponry or hooks to just grab what she wanted. She was a hand-to-hand fighter, which was starting to prove to be a little risky for her, so she had to get up and close to her target in order to get his tag. She sighed a little at that before crouching a little as she saw her target enter the forest.   
  
     Her target was #281, Agon. A seemingly old man with grey hair, long eyebrows, and a large nose. He wore a blue mantle and white pants, and always carried a sword at his side. She had banked on him being unaware and wandering aimlessly in the forest so she could complete this exam quickly. However, instead of going straight into the middle of the island, he veered off and stayed in the thicker parts of the forest. She blinked but shook it off and followed after him silently and stealthily. He was smarter than she expected, but she knew he had to have some sort of weakness or opening. However, no matter what, he always had his hand on his sword and was always looking around to make sure others weren't trying to sneak up on him. He never did look up at the trees, lucky for her, but it was annoying how aware he was. It must have come with his age. And the fact Hisoka was running around somewhere in this forest. That would keep anyone on edge.   
  
     She made a few attempts to see if she could ambush him, thought they were more or less just tests to see how fast he drew his sword. She would snap a twig or or drop a pebble to startle him into attacking. She clicked her tongue, knowing that if she didn't do everything just right, she would get hurt. They still had one more exam left, she'd prefer not to get hurt until before then. A blow to her torso could prove very troublesome, and even a gash to her arms would make things difficult. She didn't have any sort of bandaging and her jacket was gone, so she couldn't just tear her clothes apart to create makeshift bandages. It would all go wrong if she screwed up. If he noticed she was coming from above, he could very easily impale her with that sword. And she would prefer to die a much more dignified way than that.   
  
     She just had to be patient. She was sure he would rest soon or at least lower his guard a little so she could attack him. However, he didn't. He didn't lower his guard the entire time she was tracking him. He kept moving, kept looking, he even kept his sword at his side when he ate. She had no safe way of getting to him and it frustrated her. It frustrated her a lot. It was like constantly missing the prize in a crane machine, every time she thought she had an opening, he would just get more guarded. Neither of them slept that night and she was sure she had been doing something wrong. Either someone else was tailing him or she wasn't as good as she thought she was with Zetsu. It was the only form of Nen she knew right now, and she knew it would have been a good idea to learn it for this exam. However, it didn't help when her target was on guard all the time.   
  
     By the next day, around when the sun was starting to set, Jordyn was very frustrated with her hunt so far. She didn't even bother being silent as she jumped to another tree so she could find the other two. “Surely they've already gotten their targets. Maybe I can ask them for a little distraction.” She hummed to herself, using her nose to follow any scent of blood she may catch in the forest. It was very noticeable in a forest that smelled of pine needles and cut grass. And knowing those two, they had a blood trail leading right to them. Well, she wasn't wrong in that assumption.   
  
     She eventually did find Hisoka, though it was his own blood she had caught whiff of. She hadn't even noticed his injuring back at Trick Tower. She had been too frustrated with her trial and her finishing in fourth to even notice.   
     “Oh♦? You've come much sooner than I expected♠. Did you get your target this quick♣?” He asked, looking up at her as she walked around to stand beside him while he sat against a tree. She looked frustrated, so he was sure she hadn't gotten her target just yet.  
     “No...the bastard won't stop moving. He carries a sword, too, so I have to be extra careful about attacking him.” She muttered, tapping her foot in annoyance. “I don't have cards like you do, so I can't just kill him from a distance, either.”   
     “You're asking for help, aren't you♥?” He looked at her, actually surprised that she was even thinking of asking for some sort of help. She flinched and glared at him.   
     “No!...Not right now, anyway. I just need to think.”   
     “And you came here to see me because you needed to think♦?”   
     “Shut up.” She spat without another word on the subject.   
  
     “So did you at least find your target yet?”  
     “Nope♣. I'm just going to kill three people, anyway, so it doesn't matter♠.” He explained casually. She sighed and nodded in response, not expecting any different from him. He looked at her and chuckled. “I suggest you do the same♥. You look absolutely frustrated about this♦.”   
     “I'm not like you, I don't just kill for the fun of it. I like a good challenge.”   
     “Then how about him♣?”  
  
     She blinked and looked around, trying to see if anyone else was around. He wasn't surprised she couldn't tell another person was around. She still had much to learn when it came to sensing things, especially about being tracked and hunted. He stood up from the ground and looked towards the bushes.   
     “Come out, I know you're there♥.” He waited a moment before walking closer, Jordyn watching carefully and being on her guard. Eventually, a man with long black hair, dull looking clothing and a headband appeared from the bushes. He wielded a spear and had no problems brandishing it in front of the hack magician. The two could tell the man was dying. He was pale and smelled of blood. Hisoka smirked widely before walked back towards his tree. “Jordyn, this is your training♠. Fight him♦.” He simply stated and sat down again.   
     “W-What?” She looked down at him before back at the man. His movements would be slow, sure, but his spear had a wide range. However, all she had to worry about was the tip of the weapon. She could easily withstand a hit of the shaft. She nodded and took a breath before walking in front of the man. He seemed insulted for a moment, but readied his spear anyway.   
  
     “You're dying, right? I'll make sure to give you a good send off.” She smiled at him as she got into her fighting stance. He didn't say anything, but even he knew that anyone could tell by the amount of butterflies that were around him. The pink-winged butterflies this island had were attracted to blood. They fed off it and if they smelled even a tiny ounce of it, they would go to the source immediately. And considering this man had around a dozen flying around him, it was easy to see how serious his wounds were. They stared one another down for a moment before they charged at one another. She dodged the sweeping motion he made with his spear and quickly made her way closer to him. Once close enough, she hit her palm against his abdomen, causing him to stumble back while she jumped back to give them some distance. She charged again while he was still unbalanced, and was going to go for the next hit but before she could, a dozen needles punctured his face and forehead. She looked surprised before turning around to see Gittarakur standing just behind Hisoka.  
  
     “Sorry, I wasn't paying attention and I let him get away.” The odd looking man stated as he held up another dozen needles in his hand.   
     “Liar♣.” Hisoka hummed as Jordyn walked back over to them.  
     “You really shouldn't have done that. The man had one simple wish, he shouldn't have died like that.” She muttered, not entirely angry, just disappointed. The man wanted to die fighting...and to be fair, he sort of did. But she would have preferred her being the one to kill him.   
     “You were going to kill him anyway, weren't you? It's not that big of a deal.” He stated causally, getting her to sigh heavily. “Besides, both of you have the same problem when it comes to things like this. Am I wrong?” Jordyn looked away, not seeming too proud about being compared to them.  
     “Yes, but I at least make a conscious decision about leaving them alive. If they're worth it, I like to keep them alive♦.” Hisoka said with a smirk.  
     “Tch both of you are sadistic.”   
     “You're one to talk. I still remember you laughing when you recall your first kill♥.”  
     “You're also the type to keep them alive for a long time, right?”   
     “Oh shut up!” Jordyn blushed in embarrassment as she crossed her arms and looked away.  
  
     Hisoka chuckled before looking at Gittarakur again. “So, did you get your tag♠?” The man held up a tag with the number '371' on it.   
     “Got it. I have six points, but I have a useless one.” He pulled out another tag with the number '80' written on it. “You can have it.” He tossed it to Hisoka who caught it and looked at it curiously.  
     “Oh? It's not like you to go after someone that isn't your target♣.”   
     “They tried to kill me with a bullet. I couldn't help myself.” He hummed and started to pluck the needles out of his face.   
  
     A shudder went up Jordyn's back as she watched his face contort and stretch. She couldn't help but look away so she didn't get sick from the sight. “That still sickens me whenever you do that. It's really gross.” She stuck her tongue out.  
     “It's pretty interesting to me, I never get tired of it♦.” Hisoka hummed as the man's face actually looked normal. His skin was still pale, but it wasn't sickly grey anymore. His hair wasn't purple and it wasn't short, it was actually a very long, silky black color. His eyes are almond shaped, almost like a cat's.   
     “Well, it feels very uncomfortable for me.” He stated as he held the needles in his hands. Jordyn looked back, sighing in relief to see the transformation was done. The strange man knelt down to the ground and started digging himself a large hole. She raised her brow, wondering just what he was doing. “Well, I'm going to sleep until the end of the week. Good luck to the both of you. Good night!” He ducked down into his hole, making the ground cover his entire body so no one would find him. She snorted and stomped on the ground he was sleeping under.   
     “Yeah thanks.” She huffed before starting to walk back into the forest, waving goodbye to Hisoka. She was hoping that she could get the tag before the end of the week.   
  
     It didn't take long for her to find Agon again. She had noticed he had a pattern of walking around the island, though it was centered mostly around the meadow that was in the middle of the left half of the isle. She knew she could come up with a plan if that really was his route. She'd have to make sure for one more day, but even so, there was no way he could go another night without sleep. She could go at least three days without sleep, but he was a normal person, there was no way he could stay awake that long.   
  
     She continued to stalk him, smiling when she noticed his movements slowing. He was looking for a place to set up camp for the night, that much was clear. She just didn't know if he was going to sleep in the open or try to find a cave or a hollowed out tree to sleep. Either way, it'd be easy pickings when he went to sleep. She just needed patience, there was no need to rush this. However, as she landed on another branch, she immediately froze up as she felt a murderous aura flowing through the area. Birds, rats, monkeys, any living thing in the area immediately ran as far as they could away from whatever it was giving off such an aura.   
  
     “Hisoka...what the hell is he thinking now?” She muttered quietly to herself as she laid on her stomach, waiting for the aura to go away. Even Agon had noticed it and went in an opposite direction, thinking it would be the safest route. She noticed this right away and cussed under her breath. She didn't want to move, she was too afraid to. Even after the aura diminished, she stayed in the tree a few more minutes before getting up again. She had never looked or felt more afraid in her life. He was a terrifying man, she knew this. But she never expected his blood lust to be this potent. She shook her head, trying to get her thoughts back in line. She couldn't stop moving, she had to keep tracking her target. As far as she knew, Hisoka was far away from her current position. She had nothing to worry about.   
  
     She chased after Agon again, catching up to him in no time. She was sure he wasn't going to be resting any time soon after that, but that was fine. She didn't think she could rest very easily after that, either. But it was a little frustrating knowing she had to go at this for another few hours. She would just prefer to relax for the remaining time. She looked a little head to see where he was going to be turning, thinking she could set up a trap just ahead of him. But when she looked, she saw Hisoka just ahead, heading right in Agon's direction. She blinked before smirking and hopped ahead to a tree that was right in the middle of where they would meet. She laid flat on her stomach and waited for one of them to notice. The man looked like he could commit a genocide at the moment. She had no doubts he would go after someone as scrawny and unaware as her target without a problem. As long as he got to kill someone, he would be happy.   
  
     It didn't take long for Hisoka to notice Agon. He immediately charged him, almost like he was a wild animal. And to be fair, he most likely was in his current state. She was right when she previously said her target wouldn't hesitate to attack her. Once he noticed, he drew his sword and challenged him to come right at him. But unlike her, she knew Hisoka wouldn't get wounded. And if he did, he could just walk it off, unlike her. She could say she was a vulture, but honestly, she did prefer him doing all the work for her. Now she would just have to wait for him to leave after the kill.   
  
     She blinked as she heard some whizzing through the air and looked closer as Hisoka went in for the kill. “Is that...a fishing lure?” She wondered, watching as it snagged Hisoka's tag and whizzed back to it's owner. She followed the line to it's end where Gon was hiding. He had stood up in his excitement, holding the tag triumphantly. He immediately ran away as Hisoka noticed him and took a step in his direction. Soon, both of them were gone, leaving her to search Agon's body for his tag.   
  
     “That boy...he has more surprises in him than I thought.” She hummed as she pulled out her target's tag. She flipped it in the air like a coin before catching it again. She stood upright again and headed back into the forest. “He's going to become one hell of a Hunter one day. I just feel so bad...he's really caught his interest...No doubt Hisoka won't leave him alone for a while now.” She hummed to herself, looking for a tall tree to perch in for the remaining time. She was proud of the skills Gon showed, but she knew he had a lot more time to develop. She was almost jealous. At his age, she wasn't half as clever or skilled as he was.

 


	6. EventualxFrustration

     To say that Jordyn was completely satisfied with her passing the fourth stage of the exam would be a lie. While she was happy that she got the tag, she knew she didn't pass it in an honorable way. Gon had been clever, as far as she knew he never had to fight Hisoka for his tag. Hisoka and Gittarakur killed their targets and got the tags they needed. She had been too worried about protecting herself, she had to rely on another to take down her target. The more she realized this, the more frustrated she got with herself. Why had she been so concerned about bodily injuries? She could usually walk them off or sleep them off. Sure her movements would be hindered slightly, but not significantly. She realized that she had had so many opportunities to take down her target herself. She had easily dodged that spear from the dying man, she could easily dodge a sword swipe.   
  
     She knew she was being far too careful and that's why she felt so frustrated, even as the exam was called to an end. She was usually very confident in her abilities, she didn't know why she was so scared all of a sudden. Perhaps it was the marsh that screwed with her. She hadn't been able to use her sight or her smell to get around, she had to rely on another to help. Or maybe it was when Menchi criticized her cooking. But she was just fine jumping off the side of that cliff of the mountain. Maybe she just wanted to be in top shape for the final trial, whatever it was. All she knew was that she hated it. She hated how scared she had gotten when she knew she shouldn't be. She should have been able to do this herself, she shouldn't have had to be a vulture.   
  
     The boat had come back to the shoreline and the remaining contestants showed the examiner the tags they had retrieved. Ten examinees remain for the final phase.   
  
     They were eventually transferred to the airship where they were checked over for any wounds they may have sustained during the fourth trial. That proved to frustrate Jordyn even more. She could have gotten hurt and not had to worry about it. She couldn't have been as reckless as she wanted, but still. If she knew this, she wouldn't have wasted time getting her target. This is why she immediately went to the gym instead of conversing with the others. She was happy to see that Gon and Killua did pass, but she wasn't in a very friendly mood at the moment.   
  
     “ _In a moment, the chairman will have you for a conversation. When you are called, please come to the first reception room on the first floor. Candidate #44, we ask that you please come to the reception room._ ”   
  
     Jordyn looked at the speaker, wondering just what sort of conversation they were to have with the chairman. She didn't think about it too long, however. She had taken her shirt off during her personal training, leaving her in just the bandages she used as a substitute for a bra. She hadn't asked anyone to join her, so it wasn't entirely embarrassing. Besides, even if there was someone there with her, she didn't think she would much care for their presence or them seeing her with half her torso exposed.   
  
     She took a breath before curling her fingers into a half fist, then she began striking a punching bag with her first knuckles, rather than the palm of her hand or her actual fist. She was trying to speed herself up, making herself stronger so she had no reason to be scared of anything. She dodged left, then right, bringing her arms up at the side of her head where she was dodging, then ducked and moved to the sandbag's side in one quick movement; she then punctured a hole into the bag just by hitting it with the first knuckle of her index finger. She pulled her knuckle out and watched as the sand poured out of it.   
  
     “If I can do this, then why wasn't I confident enough?” She looked at her hand, glaring at it like it had failed her. She was the one who let herself down, no one else, not even her own body. She growled and punched the bag, making more sand pour out of it. “Dammit...I know I shouldn't be...why am I terrified, then? I should know better, I know I can take the damage, but...my body doesn't want to move.” She unhooked the sandbag and replaced it with one that was intact. She didn't know where this fear came from. All she knew was that she didn't like it. Perhaps her fighting style had something to do with it, after all, it taught to protect the body while moving quickly and dispatching the opponent without too much trouble. But even then, she had no problems attacking the Trick Tower inmate head on.   
  
     It confused her more than she liked to admit, but it troubled her more so.   
  
     “ _#302 please come to the reception room._ ” She looked at the speaker again, before pulling her hand from the sandbag, making it spill half it's contents. She put her shirt back on and walked down to the reception room like she was asked.   
  
     Upon entering, she was a little surprised to see it looked like a traditional style room. She was expecting something more like an office. The chairman was sitting across from her at a table while he held a pad of paper. “Go ahead, you can sit.” He said after a moment of her just looking around curiously. She nodded and did as he asked, sitting across from him at the table. She noticed the large calligraphy picture of the word 'heart' hanging on the wall just behind him.   
     “Does this have anything to do with the final trial?” She asked, looking back at him still curiously.   
     “Well, yes and no. I'm just going to ask a few questions and I'd like you to answer them honestly.” He explained, getting a nod in return. “Good. Now tell me, why do you want to become a Hunter?”   
  
     It was a peculiar question to ask, but she smiled about it either way. “I want to become a Hunter because I want to fix up my family's farm. I've never had much money, so this is the best way I can think of.” She explained as he wrote it down.   
     “Alright. Among the nine other examinees, who do you want to fight the most?” Scratch that, this was a very peculiar question. She thought on it a moment before smiling again.  
     “#405! He's a kid, but he has a lot of potential. I'd really like to see what he can do.” She answered honestly.   
     “And who do you want to fight the least?” She hummed in thought before nodding to herself.  
     “#301 for sure.”   
  
     She watched him scribble down her answers though looked at him again. “Is it alright if I ask what those questions were about?” She asked, though he didn't seem to be listening to her.   
     “Alright, that's all the questions I needed to ask, you can go back to whatever you were doing.” He waved her away, leaving her to mumble a little. She left the room peacefully, though. She still wondered just why he wanted to ask such peculiar things, but she supposed she would see why by the time the fifth trial began. She decided to get back to her training, hoping it would get her to improve a little before the trial began. She didn't have time for rest, though she did eat the meals they provided at certain times.  
  
     It took three days for them to arrive at the final destination. They were provided meals, warm beds, and a place to wash up during that time. Now the remaining ten examinees stood in a large room with marbled floors and ornate decorations on the walls.   
  
     “I hope that everyone has rested well. This hotel is managed by the committee, so until the end of the final round, this place will be yours. As for the last trial...it will consist of one versus one duels.” Netero announced as he stood in front of a cloth covered board.

 


	7. RagexAndxFear

     “The final round will consist of One on One duels. These will be the following matches.” Netero announced as he pulled the cloth off of the board, showing off a tournament style bracket. Most seemed surprised while Jordyn seemed a little relieved that it was set up in that style. She was more used to that than just random battles. However, her confidence slowly waned as she saw who she was fighting. Her match was the second match of the day, but as she saw the number next to hers on the bracket, she could feel herself growing more and more nervous. #301 wasn't someone she wanted to fight, she even told the chairman that. But he didn't seem to care for that and from what she could understand, he paired people up with the opponents they didn't want to fight rather than the ones they wanted to. She took a deep breath to try to calm her nerves so she didn't look so scared. There was certainly a good reason for her not wanting to fight him, but if this is what was going to happen, she would stick through with it until the end.  
  
     “The rules for the last round are very simple: You only have to win one match to pass the exam.” He explained further, holding one finger up to emphasize the rule in case no one understood. “In other words, the winners quit the game one by one. The bracket is simply to determine the loser, not the winner. Understand?” Even so, he still explained. There should be no misunderstandings with this and honestly, he didn't want too many questions on it.   
     “So there will be only one examinee to fail?” Hanzo asked, just making extra sure he understood.  
     “Correct! Meaning that each loser has at least two chances to win. Any questions?”   
     “Why isn't the bracket well balanced?” An old man asked, looking like he was about the same age as the chairman.   
     “That's a logical question.” He said this, but really, he thought it was a rude thing to ask. “The match ups of this round were made because of the results from the other trials. Simple put, the ones that had the better marks stand more of a chance to pass.”   
  
     Killua didn't seem all too happy with this, however. He even scoffed at the bracket and the explanation. “I don't like it. Explain how you counted up the points.” He demanded, sounding like the brat he was.   
     “I also would like to know how you counted our scores.” Jordyn was no better and wanted to know why the bracket was made the way it was.  
  
     “Impossible.” Netero deadpanned, not even giving the two an explanation.   
     “Excuse me!?” Killua wasn't happy about that, and Jordyn was tempted to yell at him for it as well. The old man straightened up and sighed a little.  
  
     “The way we counted lies in absolute secret. We can't reveal everything to you, after all. But I can give you a small explanation.” He cleared his throat and held up his hand.     “First: The basis of the evaluation. We look at three essential points which are Strength, Mind, and Charisma. The explanation for this is simple: For Strength, the evaluation goes by Speed, Suppleness, and use of the five senses. For Mind, the evaluation looks at the uses of Resistance, Adaptation, Appreciation, and Creation.” He explained thoroughly before moving on to the final point. “But those only correspond for references' measure. But what allowed you to reach this trial is your Charisma. It's something difficult to explain. It is something that made you qualified to reach the end, an essential component of a Hunter. The results come from all I've told you, and all you've told me.” He finished, letting them mull that over for a moment.   
     Jordyn was still confused and skeptical about that, however. She swore she would be placed on one of the latter brackets considering the fourth trial was a fluke for her, along with the Marsh. Not even she was sure what made her qualify to be on the first round brackets. But she didn't complain further, she was sure there was a reason, a good one, for why the bracket was the way it was.   
  
     Netero went on once he was sure that the examinees understood why they were placed on the bracket in certain ways. “The fights' rules are simple: Weapons are allowed, and pushing your opponent to quit gives you the victory. However, if you kill your adversary, you'll be disqualified. So, if that happens, the disqualified candidate will be designated and the exam will end.” That eased Jordyn's nerves just a little bit, but she was sure that the matches wouldn't be any easier just because of that rule. But it did mean that a lot of them would be safe.  
  
     “On that note, let the first match of the final round begin! First Match: Hanzo vs. Gon!” A man in a black suit announced and both candidates walked into the open space across from one another. He wished both of them good luck, but before the match could start, Hanzo turned to him and started to talk about the last trial.  
  
     “You were the one that followed me around during the fourth trial, right?” He asked, almost seeming smug that he noticed.   
     “You saw me?”  
     “Of course! Each candidate was followed by a juror during that round. I couldn't have been the only one who noticed.”   
  
     “I certainly didn't.” Jordyn hummed, looking a little surprised.  
     “I noticed but I wasn't sure if I should have told you anything.” Kurapika said as he looked at Leorio, who also didn't notice that they were being followed. She was happy she wasn't the only one that hadn't noticed, but it was a little frustrating. She must have been too concentrated on her target to have noticed. She still needed to learn to observe her surroundings while also concentrating on one thing. She sighed at that, not too happy knowing how behind she was. Kurapika was only one year older than her and he noticed just fine. Logic dictates that she be in the same league as him, but that just wasn't so.  
  
     “I should thank you! Because I was placed on the bracket so well must be because of the report you did on me!” Jordyn was very certain that he was more than confident in himself, the smug bastard.  
     “Ah yes...” Event he referee seemed to be tired of his talking, especially when he had another question for him.   
     “There's one other thing I'd like to know! The only condition to win is to make our opponent admit they have lost, right? No KO, no draws?”   
     “That is correct.”   
  
     Hanzo looked to Gon, seeming more confident in himself despite looking serious. “I see.” The two stood across from one another and after a moment, the match was announced to have begun. Immediately, Gon dashed to the left, trying to out speed his opponent, or at least make him lose confidence in the match. Jordyn had to admit, he was quick, but there was no way this match would end that easily. And she was correct. Hanzo matched his speed easily and hit his neck, knocking him down to the ground in a daze. She bit her lip, realizing immediately that Gon wasn't a match for him. The two were on completely different levels of skill, not even she was sure she would be able to take him on if she didn't win her match or if Hanzo somehow lost this match. She could only hope that she would be alive or conscious for that round if it even came.  
  
     “In a real match, I would have won with just that move already.” Hanzo stated as he sat Gon up and cracked his neck to wake him back up. Gon looked to be in pain, or at least a large amount of discomfort. “You don't feel too well, right? That's normal, since I hit you in such a way, you can't react normally. It's only my experience that makes the difference, so you better quit now.” He was sure that Gon would give up, after all, not many people could take such a hit and have the courage to go on. But the boy was much different than any normal opponent.  
     “No way!” He stuck his tongue out at him, only to get hit on the side of the head again, making his vision go hazey once again.   
     “You won't have any troubles recovering for the next match, so why don't you just say you quit now? Being stubborn won't help you.” Hanzo stated, not looking amused at all by Gon's behavior. “Just say it!”  
     “I said No Way!” Gon was hit again and dropped to the floor a second time.   
  
     “He just won't give up...” Jordyn was feeling pained by watching the match go on, she didn't think his opponent would be this brutal. And seeing how things were going, she had no doubt that Gon would go on until he won, not even caring if all the bones in his body were broken. It was something to admire, but also something to fear. It was a cruel test the more she thought of it. All the people here desperately wanted to be Hunters, they wouldn't give up even if they were broken and battered. Not even she would say she gave up that easily, even if Gittarakur was her opponent. But she was sure she couldn't hurt the younger candidates like this, it wouldn't make her victory sweet or pleasurable, no matter how she thought of it.   
  
     Three hours later, and the match had yet to reach a climax. Gon had been getting hit left and right, not even managing to land a hit on Hanzo at all. He was still on the floor, his own blood smeared on the marble tiles. Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, and Jordyn just wanted this to stop, they didn't want to see their friend get hurt anymore.   
  
     “Get up.” Hanzo demanded, which effectively set off Leorio.  
     “Stop it now! I'll kill you myself if you continue! Come here and fight me instead!!” He yelled at him, but the man didn't seem phased by his threats at all.  
     “If it's too hard for you to watch, then leave. The worst has yet to come.” At that, even Jordyn was starting to get pissed off with his attitude. She didn't care if it would be a speed tie, she'd gladly fight him if it meant slamming his smug face into the ground.  
  
     However, before she or Leorio could interfere, two jurors stepped in front of them. “You cannot interfere, this is a one on one match. Even if it's you interfering, it'll be Gon that's disqualified.” They explained which didn't make either of them feel any better.   
  
     “I'm fine, Leorio...everything's going to be okay. I can take some more...” Gon stood up, though shook a little as he did. The poor boy looked like he was going to fall over at any moment. Hanzo looked at him, almost surprised he was able to get up again. He fixed that by smacking him down to the ground again. He turned him over and held his arm against his back, looking serious instead of smug.   
     “I'm gonna break your arm.” No one knew if he was bluffing or not. The tension in the room grew more and more as Gon gritted his teeth. “I'm serious. Just say it!!”   
     “No! I won't!”   
  
     There was a crack that sounded through the room, followed by an agonizing scream. Gon held his arm in pain, trying to grit his teeth through it. Jordyn's pupils dilated almost to the size of saucers while Leorio clenched his fist and gritted his teeth in anger. Both looked ready to interfere and kick the candidate's ass, even if Gon got disqualified for it.   
  
     “Kurapika...don't stop me...if that guy goes any further, I'm sorry for Gon but...I'll kick his ass.” The man growled through his teeth, though Kurapika didn't seem any better.  
     “Me? Stop you? I won't be able to, there's no chance of that happening.” His eyes were glowing scarlet as he watched continued to watch everything. The three had no quarrels with fighting him, even if they were disqualified in the end, they wouldn't care.   
  
     “It's horrible, isn't it? I know it's not the right time, but please, listen to what I have to say.” Hanzo looked down at Gon, before he started to balance himself on the palm of his hand. “I come from a secret clan of Shinobi. To acquire the special art of Shinobi, I've received training since the time I was born. During 8 years, I built up a strong muscularity, and I improved my techniques. At your age, I had already killed.” He explained, gradually balancing himself from his palm to his fingers. Neither Killua or Jordyn seemed to be impressed with this. They had both developed early and had killed much earlier than he had. To anyone else, it may be surprising. But not to them. “Anyways, in this fight, you can't win against me!” He started balancing on one finger, as if that was some amazing feat. “I don't say that to make you mad. I only say that to get you to give up.” Gon stood up then, and kicked his arm out from under him.  
  
      It was a surprising turn and Jordyn actually had a hard time keeping in a laugh, she actually had to cover her mouth. The man was getting so smug with himself, she was happy to see a twelve year old put him in his place. “I can't believe it! The pain and your speech woke me up!”   
  
     “Yeah let's go Gon! Kill him!”   
     “Leorio, if he does that, he'll be disqualified.” Kurapika was always the voice of reason, but the taller male didn't seem to care much for that right now.   
     “Kick his ass then, Gon!” Jordyn cheered without hesitation.   
  
     “You're eighteen years old...There's only a six year difference between us...and in this match, we don't need to show our strength. It's just to see who will give up first.” Gon panted as he held his broken arm. Hanzo stood up, showing the fact that he actually got a nose bleed from falling to the ground so hard.   
     “I let you kick me like that.”  
     “LIAR!!” Jordyn and Leorio yelled at him, but he didn't seem to care.   
  
     Hanzo wiped his nose before placing his hand on his arm. “I don't think you really understand. That wasn't a suggestion, it was an order! If you really can't understand, I'll make it much clearer for you.” He pulled a hidden blade from the bandages on his arm. “I will get rid of one of your legs. You will never be able to use it again. Once you lose one of your legs, you'll understand right?” He showed off his skills with the blade, swinging it around as if it was supposed to intimidate him. “So, I'll ask one more time. Say: I give up.” He looked serious and like he really would cut him up if he refused to give up again. But Gon, bless his soul, didn't look intimidated in the slightest.   
  
     “Well, that's not good.” The others looked rather confused by this. What exactly did he mean? “I don't want you to cut my leg off! But I don't want to lose either! Let's fight in another way.”   
     “Wha!? But—DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION!?” Hanzo seemed more angry by that than anything else.   
  
     The other candidates stared a moment before a few started to laugh, though tried to contain it. Jordyn couldn't stop her laugh from coming out, she actually nearly doubled over from it. She knew she liked this boy from the first moment she saw him, and this was most likely why!  
  
     “You won't decide huh?! I'll cut your leg off, I'm serious!” Hanzo continued to try to intimidate him, but it just didn't work.  
     “That doesn't mean I'll say that I lost! If you do that, I'll bleed to death.”   
     “Huh?”  
     “In that case, he would lose, right?” Gon looked to the referee who seemed a little surprised but confirmed his suspicion. “You see? That won't be nice, so you gotta think about it.”  
  
     Hanzo looked completely flabbergasted by this boy's thought process, but he was correct! If he didn't say he gave up after he cut his leg off, then he would bleed to death and Hanzo would be disqualified, leaving him to be the only one who failed the exam. Everyone was still laughing about it, even Jordyn. Now she knew she wouldn't be able to beat him if they were matched up together later on. Though, she was sure he was going to pass regardless if Hanzo went through with his threats or not. She cleared her throat and looked at Killua to see what he thought. Surely he was just as amused about it as the others were. However, he looked frustrated about the situation. The tension was no longer there, yet Gon's situation was no better than when the battle started. She smiled and pats his head to try to calm him down.   
     “It's not that hard to figure out how the situation changed, don't over think it. The chairman even said: Our Charisma is the reason why we're here. And Gon has plenty of that...well, along with being as stubborn as a bull.” She explained, though he didn't seem any more happy about the way Gon was able to make everyone less tense. She smiled at him, deciding to kneel down to his height so she could point out how everything changed.  
     “It doesn't make sense, though...he has nothing to be confident about, his arm is still broken and he's way out classed...” Killua was very confused, he didn't know why things had gone like this all of a sudden and it frustrated him to no end. She hadn't realized he never spent any real time outside of his home or spent time around people like Gon. He wouldn't understand it unless he hung around this type of person himself. She wasn't sure how that would go, though, considering his upbringing.   
     “Just keep watching, you'll understand.” She hummed as the two went back to watching the match.  
  
     Hanzo looked very frustrated, he even pointed his blade at the boy's forehead without hesitation. But he didn't do anything else other than glare at him. “You really don't understand...If you die, you won't be able to continue on! If I kill you here...you can still come back next year! Why don't you get that!?” Gon did not budge from his spot, even with the blade's point nicking his skin just enough to cause him to bleed. Hanzo stared at him, not moving, but looked like he didn't even want to move or cut him down. He looked frustrated, but he also seemed to be starting to understand just how and why Gon made it this far. “Why...? It's just two words...you can always come back next year. You know that right? Is this really worth more than your life!? You getting hurt and having your arm broken, that's all just dandy to you!?” The two stared one another down for a moment.  
  
     “I want to find my father.” Gon began, which caught a lot of the candidates' attention. “He's a Hunter. He's really far away from here, actually. I really think that one day I'll be able to meet him. But...if I lose here, I don't think I'll ever get that chance. This is why I won't go back on my decision, no matter what.” The boy was determined, he wouldn't give up no matter what, even if his life was threatened. All to meet his father.  
  
     While Jordyn was trying to get Killua to see why Gon could loosen the tension in this room, she didn't think she could understand why he would ever want to chase after someone that had left him behind. She would be happy to never meet her father if he had abandoned her, but Gon...he really did seem to want to meet him so badly, he would put his life on the line to fulfill that dream of his. It was admirable. Stupid, but admirable.  
  
     “But if you keep going, you'll die.” Hanzo again tried to convince him, but again, the boy did not budge on this. After a moment, Hanzo pulled his blade away from him and put it back in his bandaging. “I've lost. I admit, I've lost.” He announced suddenly without regrets. Gon and the others looked surprised about this, they were sure he wouldn't give up just like Gon wouldn't. “I just can't kill him. And I can't find a way of making you say you've lost. So I lost the match, I'll wait until the next one.” He simply stated as he walked back to the sidelines.   
     “No! That's not right! Let's find a way to continue the fight!” Of course, the boy couldn't just take his victory peacefully.   
  
     Hanzo turned towards him, looking humble at first. “Let me get this straight...” He hummed before glaring at him. “You stupid or what!? Whatever we pick, I can't get you to say that you've lost!”  
     “Maybe this way isn't good enough!” Gon argued back.  
     “Oh yeah!? Then how do you want it!?”   
     “Let's find a way together!”   
  
     Hanzo backed up and took a breath. “Let me see if I understand this...I resign from the fight, but you refuse and say you want to find a way to beat me...as in a way for you to win against me that way _you_ want. Right?”   
     “Yeah!” Gon had a determined, yet goofy smile on his face. However, it didn't last long as Hanzo punched him into the air, declaring he was an idiot. Again, Jordyn couldn't help but laugh at this even with Gon being knocked out in the end. The boy hit the ground, still smiling, but absolutely unconscious.  
  
     “Jurors! I lost this match, alright? I'll fight in the next one. I think you know that he won't stay too docile, though. When he comes to, I have no doubt he'll refuse the outcome of this match, have you seen his stubbornness? Once he sets his mind to something, he won't stop until he accomplishes it.” He made sure the jurors understood that he lost this match and that Gon won. But he also had to make sure that they had to be stern with him when he came to. “It's agreed, right? There's only going to be one loser in this tournament? If it's Gon, all the fights from now on will be meaningless, right?”   
  
     “You're right. Hanzo is the loser of this match. Gon passes the exam.” Netero announced with the approval of the other candidates and examiners. Gon was carried out of the room to get his arm fixed and the rest of his wounds bandaged, leaving the floor open for the next match.  
  
     Despite the happy outcome, Jordyn couldn't help but look a little nervous. Killua noticed this and looked at the board again, seeing that her match was up next. “Are you sure you're going to be okay? You look scared.  
     “Not necessarily scared...he's a tough opponent and I just hope I'll come out of this with my limbs not broken.” She explained, which got him a little interested.   
     “You know him?”  
     “...I guess you can say that.” She stood up and walked to the space in the middle of the room just as Gittarakur did.  
  
     “Next match: Gittarakur versus Jordyn!” The referee announces as Jordyn gets into her fighting stance. It looks like she's about to dash forward while her half-opened fists were positioned at the side her body and just close enough to the side of her head. She had to be careful and protect her vitals while also making sure she saw where the needles would be going. She only had one chance to catch all of them and if she missed just one, she could be out of commission for the rest of this trial. While she looked ready to go, Gittarakur just stood casually across from her.   
  
     “That's such an old style of fighting...I wonder if it'll give her an advantage.” Kurapika hummed, finally recognizing the style now that he could look at her stance more closely.   
     “Huh? What do you mean?” Leorio asked, not thinking that the stance was anything significant.  
     “There are old styles of fighting, all of them have different principles and guidelines, all of them were based off animals as well. The stance she's in looks like the Leopard style, and even back then it was barely used. It concentrates on protecting the body but making quick hits to confuse the opponent. I'm not sure if it'll be enough to get her through this match, though.” He explained as he put his finger to his chin in thought. The old styles were still in use, but it was rare to see them in skill based tournaments like this. But maybe it would be enough to overwhelm her opponent and get him to give up. She proved to be fast in the second trial, but none of them had seen what this person could do just yet. For all they knew, he was much quicker and even stronger than she was.   
  
     “You may begin!” The referee announced, yet before Jordyn could make a mad dash towards him, Gittarakur held his hand up.  
     “I give.” He announced and turned to walk back to the sidelines. She blinked a moment, not sure what he had said at first, then her eyes went wide.  
     “That's not fair...Get back here! I want a real fight!” She demanded. She hadn't training all three days to just get an empty victory like this one.   
     “I'd rather not cripple you.” He stated simply, standing like a robot at the sidelines. Her hair looked like it was puffing out as she heard his refusal.   
     “Fight me dammit! This isn't fair!” He didn't respond to her, he just kept staring elsewhere.   
  
     “Jordyn is the winner.” The referee announced, despite the rage that was building in her eyes. She clenched her fists tightly, not wanting to accept a victory like this. She wanted a fight, she wanted to prove that she had earned the title of Hunter. What was the point of all that training? All that struggling to get here was wasted to her. “Please go back to the sidelines.” The man asked patiently, though looked intimidated about her behavior. They had received the warning from the captain on her ship, but he had never thought that it was this bad. The other examiners could see this as well, but they didn't show any hesitation or worry.   
  
     Jordyn eventually went back to the sidelines, though stormed past the other three and sat against the wall with her knees drawn close to her face.   
     “Jordyn...” Kurapika could only understand how she felt to an extent. He didn't know the history she had with Gittarakur or any of the fighters here, but to be denied a proper match was the worst feeling one could get. Killua walked over to her as the next match was announced, trying to see if he could give her some words to get her hyped again. He saw tears brimming at the corners of her eyes, yet she still looked enraged about the victory she was handed. People who cried when they were angry were usually the worst types to deal with if you were on the receiving end of this anger. But she didn't move or look like she was going to attack anyone. She was just brooding and staying to herself.   
  
     “You shouldn't be so angry. You passed, didn't you?” He asked, as if the entire thing wasn't that big of a deal. And truth be told, it wasn't. If anything, Jordyn was very lucky that her victory was handing to her. Gittarakur was not someone that anybody should mess with, not unless they were a skilled fighter. She would have probably lost if he had fought her. But she didn't care for that. She wanted a real fight, even if she lost. She glanced up at him before wiping her eyes, yet the tears kept forming no matter how often she brushed them away.  
     “That's not the way I wanted to win, though. I had trained for three days to improve myself. I was nervous about it, sure, but...I really wanted to fight him and prove that I earned that title.” She explained, not even realizing the match had ended already and the next one was announced. She was too lost in her own thoughts to really concentrate on the other matches. He seemed to understand that, but really, he still would have taken an easy win above anything else. It would just prove that he was right and that the exam was boring. But she wasn't like that. She had something to prove. He didn't know what it was or why she was hellbent on proving it, but this easy win hit her harder than anything else.  
  
     “Maybe you'll see him outside the exam and you'll get your fight there. Since you're a Hunter now, you can look up information like that, right?” He asked, which did get a nod out of her.   
     “Still, it's hard to track that kind of person down. He's always doing something all over the world. Who knows if I'll get my rematch.” She sighed as she wiped her eyes again. Now she was just being pessimistic. Besides, he didn't look like the type to go out much, so surely she could find him somewhere in the world where she could have her match with him.   
  
     Another match was announced and decided without them ever looking to see how things went. Before they knew it, Killua was called for his match. They both looked up and saw that Pokkle, a boy with a red cap, white clothing with a red vest over it, and primarily used a bow and arrow to fight, standing in the middle of the floor waiting for Killua.   
She waved him away and gave a small smile. “Go ahead and fight. I'll just be sulking here.” She said and watched him go off to start his match. Though, much like her match, as soon as it started, Killua gave up and started to head back to the sidelines. She blinked a few times, noticing that he and his brother were very similar in these sorts of fights. Perhaps it was a Zoldyck trait to disappoint their opponents.   
  
     “Next match is Bodoro versus Leorio!” The referee announced, though Leorio looked a little hesitant.   
     “Would it be fine if our match was postponed? He still needs to recover from his wounds and it wouldn't feel right winning like that.” Leorio asked, hoping for Bodoro's sake that their match would be postponed. The man was still hurt from his match with Hisoka and honestly, he didn't want to beat someone up when they were injured so badly.   
     “That's fine. The next match will be Gittarakur versus Killua, then.”   
  
     Jordyn's eyes widened and she looked over to the man again. This was what she was afraid of. Above all, she did want to prove herself worthy of being deemed a Hunter, but she had also hoped that if she lost, that she would have been able to keep Killua from ever interacting with him at all costs. She stood up from her spot against the wall, walking to the edge of the sideline to glare at the man. He didn't seem to care or notice that she was glaring at him. It wasn't out of anger or contempt for their previous match, but it was her trying to tell him not to reveal himself. She didn't want that to happen, she didn't know what would happen if Killua saw that he was fighting his brother.   
  
     “The match may begin!” The referee announced and almost immediately, Jordyn tried to tell Killua to give up. She knew that put him in a bad spot on the bracket, but she didn't want him to face his brother. She knew nothing good would come of it.   
     “Killua, forfe-”  
     “It's been a long time, Killu.” This caught the boy's attention more than Jordyn's warning. The man began to pulled the needles from his face, causing it to contort again and make his hair grow longer and longer. The silver-haired boy's eyes widened In shock and fear as he recognized who it was. It was safe to say that Jordyn was just as terrified as he was.  
  
     “A-Aniki...” Killua took a step back, not expecting to see his brother here. He hadn't even realized that he was, but now that he thought on it, Jordyn's reason for being nervous during her match as well as the excuses she made for not being to find him outside of the exam made sense. If only she had been quick to tell him to give up, this wouldn't be happening.   
  
     “Killua's older brother...?”  
     “Why didn't you tell us?” Leorio looked at Jordyn, who seemed far more worried than she had in any of the other trials.  
     “I was...I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. This is part of the reason I was so angry about my free victory...” She explained, staring at the two brothers rather than look at the other two as she talked.   
  
     “I was told you stabbed Mother and Milluki.” He started with a hum.  
     “I...Yeah I guess so.” Killua smiled slightly, though he was sweating nervously.  
     “Mother was crying.”   
     “Anyone would cry over that!” Leorio yelled, though quickly flinched as the man continued.  
     “She was so proud of you.” Despite the hilarity of the statement, no one was laughing. Jordyn and Killua were still sweating bullets over the situation. They didn't know how it would end and they were sure there wouldn't be a happy ending.   
  
     “She told me she was worried about you leaving so suddenly, so she contacted me. I wasn't expecting to meet you here, but truth be told, I need the license for a job. But she's afraid you'll enjoy becoming a Hunter.” He explained a little further, the situation still not lighting up.  
     “I wasn't really looking forward to being a Hunter...I just wanted to try the exam...” Killua explained, trying not to anger his brother at all or make him feel that he had to attack him. He looked like a scared kid and that angered Jordyn more.  
     “That's good. That means I can talk to you truthfully.” He hummed and continued. “You're not suited to become a Hunter. You're an Assassin and that's all you'll ever be.”   
  
     “Knock it off...” Jordyn muttered, not sure if she could hold her anger in anymore.  
     “You are just a puppet. You have no passion, nor desires. The only pleasure you feel is from killing. Father and I taught you that, you should know better.” He continued regardless.  
     “It's...not that I want to become a Hunter, that's not why I came here...but there is one thing that I want to have.” Killua spoke back to him, actually seeming to have some courage against him.   
     “No there isn't.”  
     “Yes there is!”   
  
     His brother scoffed at him before tilting his head. “So tell it to me. What do you desire?” Killua was silent for a moment, not sure if he could say it to his brother.  
     “Well?...I was right, there is nothing is there?”  
     “There is!...I want...I want to become friends with Gon. I'm fed up with killing. I just...want to become friends with Gon...and have fun, like a normal kid.”   
  
     Jordyn, Leorio, and Kurapika stared at the boy, surprised that he wanted something so simple, yet he already had it. He didn't seem to realize that, though. He was brainwashed into thinking he didn't have friends, that he still had to work for it, which wasn't true.  
  
     “That's impossible! You can't make people be your friends.” His brother scoffed once more.  
     “Knock it off, Illumi!” Jordyn yelled at him, prepared to take the fight from here, even if Killua was disqualified. She knew he was a horrible person deep down, he couldn't even see how much he was torturing his own brother. And she had about enough of it already.  
     “The only judgment you're able to pass on is if you should kill him or not. Because that is what Father and I have taught you. You're amazed by Gon, you're always together aren't you? I even see you bonding with Jordyn. It has nothing to do with friendship.” Even with her yelling for him to stop, he continued on without hesitation.  
     “That's not true...” Killua muttered as he clenched his fist.  
     “If you stay close to either of them, one day you'll want to kill them, because you're going to ask yourself if you can or not. All because you are a natural born killer.”   
  
     Leorio stepped forward, which caught Jordyn's attention. She looked at him, wondering what he was going to do or say. He even told the referee he wasn't going to interfere.   
     “Listen Killua! Even if he's your brother or whatever, I'm gonna tell you right now: He's just an idiot! A dumbass that understands nothing at all! Go on! Kick his ass like you usually do and pass the exam! You want to become friends with Gon, right!? Well stop hesitating! You both get along great and you both are friends, right!? The fact is, he already sees you as his friend!” Leorio yelled which got Jordyn smiling.   
     “He's right! I've only seen you two interact a few times, but I can tell you both are already great friends! Don't let him tell you any different!” She joined in, trying to help Killua get his courage back.  
  
     “Hm? Really?” Illumi looked over to the two, get firm nods from the both of them. He hummed and put a finger on his chin. “Hm...That won't do...I'll have to think of a way to correct this.” He thought for only a minute before hitting his fist into his palm. “I know! I'll just have to kill Gon.” Silence filled the room as the candidates stared at him in shock. While others may think he wouldn't do it or that he wasn't serious, Jordyn and Killua knew better.   
  
     “Assassins do not need friends, they only get in the way.” Illumi held three needles in his hand and started for the door. Killua was frozen in fear, unable to move or stop his brother from doing what he wanted. “Where is he?” The elder brother asked as he past by a juror.   
     “The trial hasn't ended-” Before he could finish, the three needles pierced into his skull and began contorting his face painfully. Illumi didn't even look at him, he just asked once more. “Resting...room two...” The juror struggled to say anything due to the sheer amount of pain he was experiencing.   
     “Thank you...hm?”  
  
     As Illumi looked back at the door, the contestants stood in front of it, not looking like they would budge even for a moment. He stops for a moment and sighs. “Damn, if only I didn't need that license. If I kill them, I'll fail and Killu would automatically pass.” He put his hand on his chin again. “I was going to make a huge mistake. Because if I kill Gon, the results will be the same. Ah I know! I'll start with passing the exam, then I'll kill Gon.”   
  
     This proved to anger the others even more, yet made Killua even more afraid. The boy was caught in something he didn't want to do versus protecting his friend and keeping him safe. But he knew he wasn't going to be able to beat his brother in a one on one match no matter what he did. How could he fix this? It just wasn't fair, why couldn't he do anything!?  
  


     “Did you hear that, Killu?” Killua looked up at his brother again, still sweating and looking scared. “If you don't win against me, you won't be able to save Gon. Will you be able to fight for your friendship?...No, that's a silly question. Of course you can't. The reason being that you don't care for the friendship. You're thinking more of if you can win against me or not.” Killua's eyes widened again as Illumi extended his hand to him. “You already have your answer. Right now, you're thinking ' _I can't beat my brother, not with my strength. If you know you can't beat him, then don't confront him._ ' I was the one who gave you that advice, remember?” Killua went to run away from him, but before he could, Illumi stopped him. “Don't move. If you move, I'll consider the match has started. If our bodies touch, I'll also consider the match started.” He began moving closer and closer to Killua, making sure he was agonizingly slow.   
  
     “There's only one way to stop this. You know that, don't you? But...don't forget: If you don't fight me, your precious Gon will die.” Not only was Killua stuck between a hard choice, Jordyn wasn't sure what to tell him. She wanted to tell him that things would be okay and that he should fight him, but at the same time, she knew it would be dangerous for him to do that. There was no safe way to go about this. Even with Leorio's words of encouragement, nothing was easy to figure out.   
  
     “I give...I give up.” Killua announced just as Illumi's hand got too close for comfort. The others were surprised while Jordyn just glared at the man. If she didn't know his skills, she would have attacked him regardless of what would happen. She knew the tricks he was using and she knew they were ultimately unfair in this situation. Any other person would have fought him regardless. But he had a secret upper hand with Killua that no one else knew about. Granted, she only knew the basics of what was going on. She didn't know how or why he had the boy in such a bind with only words. All she knew was that she wanted to kill him.   
  
     “Ah! That's good! I don't have to do the fights anymore!” Illumi looked more than pleased about this, he was even smiling. “Haha I wasn't really going to kill Gon, I was just testing you! Now I have what I wanted.” He patted his brother's shoulder, chuckling as he did. However, he placed his hand on his head and leaned down towards his ear. “You do not deserve friends. Nor do you need any. You will continue to do as Father and I say, you only have to do your work correctly and everything will be okay. If someday you need to pass this exam, I'll be the one to guide you. But that isn't the case right now.” He let go of his head and walked back to the sideline. However, Jordyn was there to greet him, and she certainly didn't seem to be in a good mood.  
  
     “What the hell was that!? You bastard...Who dare you say things like that!?” She yelled at him as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.   
     “I was telling the truth. He does not need nor deserve friends.” He stated simply, not intimidated by her in the slightest. She clenched her fist and looked about ready to punch him in the face, but she let him go.   
     “You're a pathetic human being...you're the one who doesn't deserve friends, not even family, not Killua.” She muttered as she walked over to the boy to make sure he was okay. He stared after her before leaning against the wall.   
  
     “Killua, please look at me. He's full of hot air, you know that. Gon knows you're his friend. Leorio, Kurapika, even myself, we're all your friends.” She knelt down by him as she saw him walk back to the sidelines. He didn't look at her, he just looked so empty. She frowned, looking like she may cry because of what had happened. If she had been able to say 'I give up' during her match, this wouldn't have happened. She had the chance to save him from this, but she failed at that. “You're stronger than I am...You can actually stand to take this abuse from your family day in and day out. I don't think I would be able to.” She tried to smile, but when she looked at him, he still looked the same. She frowned once more and gave him a hug, hoping it would get some sort of reaction from him. It didn't. She decided to sit by him the rest of the exam, hoping that he would get a chance to pass. If he didn't, she wanted him to know that, no matter what, they were all there for him.   
  
     As Leorio's match was announced, she hadn't even noticed Killua walking to the fighting space. Her eyes widened however, as he plunged his clawed hand into Bodoro's back before the match was even started. “Killua!” She stood up and ran over, but he didn't even look at her as he walked out of the room without another word, leaving the others in worry and anger.

 


	8. AxNewxMission

     An entire day later, the orientation was held for the passing candidates. There was a heavy tension that filled the room as the new Hunters entered and took their seats. It took everything in Jordyn's power to keep herself from confronting Illumi once more about the subject. She actually needed to be pulled away after Killua was declared the one disqualified. Even now, in the orientation room that was filled to the brim with professional Hunters, there needed to be at least one appointed to keeping an eye on her.   
  
     Kurapika, Leorio, Pokkle, Illumi, and Hisoka were on the left side of the room, while Jordyn and Hanzo were seated on the left. They were a little amazed she had seated herself away from the group herself, but they still kept an eye on her just in case.   
  
     “Before we begin, I would like to talk about yesterday.” Kurapika spoke up before the chairman could begin the orientation.   
     “Oh? What is it?” Netero looked at the boy as he and Leorio stood up.  
     “We think that Killua was forced to kill against his will, and we would like for his disqualification to be revoked.”   
     “There's no way he would do that, we've spent time around him the entire exam. Not once had he done that before.” Leorio spoke up as well, hoping that their case would be heard and that Killua would be able to pass the exam regardless of what he did.   
  
     However, before they could go on further, the doors to the room slammed opened. They turned in their seats and saw Gon standing at the doorway, looking upset and angry about what Satotz had told him. Satotz was tasked with filling Gon in with what happened in the rest of the final trial, and after hearing what Illumi had done, he wasn't happy. They watched as he walked down the aisle, only stopping where the older man was sitting. Jordyn had to wonder just what he would say or even do to him. Whatever it was, she wished she could do the same.  
  
     The boy turned to him, glaring for a moment before demanding, “Apologize to Killua.”   
     Illumi did not look at him, he didn't think he was worth it. “Apologize for what, exactly?”  
     “You don't even understand?” Gon asked, getting a confused hum from the older man. “You don't have the right to call yourself his brother.”  
     “One has to earn the right for that?”   
  
     Gon grabbed his arm and hoisted the man into the air with ease, surprising everyone in the room. Illumi landed on the ground gently, but he seemed just as surprised about the boy's strength. “I don't have to prove anything if I'm already the friend of somebody!” Gon squeezed his arm and there was a significant crack that Jordyn and Illumi heard from the sheer might of his grip. While she wanted to be the one to do that, she was more than happy that he was able to.  
  
     The boy then started to pull him towards the door, demanding he tell him where Killua was. “I don't care if you want to apologize to him or not, just tell me where he is.”   
     “If I do tell you, and you do manage to get to him, then what?”  
     “I'm going to bring him back!”   
  
     Illumi just kept looking more and more confused the more the boy talked. “You act like I kidnapped him. He left on his own.”   
     “That's not what he wanted to do! You manipulated him so much that we can talk about kidnapping!” The room, again, was surprised by Gon's insight. Jordyn and Hisoka were the only ones who knew about what Illumi had done, however, neither of them spoke up. Either because they didn't want to or that they wanted them to figure it out for themselves. And knowing how this exam usually went, they would find out soon enough. But that didn't make it any easier for Jordyn to keep her mouth shut. She wanted to tell Gon he was correct and say that he had manipulated Killua, but not in the way he expected or knew. She also just wanted to find an excuse to go off on the assassin.   
  
     “That's precisely the point we were about to debate on, Gon.” Netero spoke up, getting a curious look from the boy. “Kurapika and Leorio brought up a similar point earlier. We are going over Killua's disqualification now.” He nodded to Kurapika to continue on with his theory. The boy stood up again and placed his hands on the desk.  
  
     “The attitude Killua showed during his fight with 'Gittarakur' and the attitude he showed after the fight wasn't natural. This leads us to believe that during the fight, he was in some sort of trance-like state. Even with a powerful hypnosis, it's impossible to ask someone to assassinate another. But with Killua, killing is a daily act, so in a way his actions can be explained.” Kurapika continued on from the previous conversation, making sure that he didn't miss anything that was a valuable point.   
     “The problem starts when it comes to my fight with Bodoro. If you look at it a certain way, you could say that Killua came to help me. So in that case, I should be the one disqualified, not him.” Leorio explained, not even seeming to mind that he would be disqualified. They were all in agreement that something just wasn't right, but they couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened.   
     “Whatever happened in that moment, Killua could not have acted on his own. His disqualification is not justified.” Kurapika finished, though was hoping that Jordyn would chime in with some useful information. She seemed to know this man personally and she probably knew what he had done. But even if she looked annoyed, she didn't say a thing to help. She just bounced her foot and looked down at the desk.   
  
     “While these are good points, they are only theories and not definite proof. We don't have solid proof that he was manipulated into killing anyone. And besides, Leorio's match was even. In the long run, Leorio would have won against Bodoro considering his wounds, so there would have been no need for Killua to intervene.” Netero pointed out, getting an annoyed sigh from the young man.   
  
     “I see something else not really natural.” Pokkle stood up from his desk and looked at Kurapika. “I want to talk about your match with Hisoka. What could he have said?” The boy seemed annoyed about something, which did confuse the other, but he didn't seem too concerned about it. However, before the boy could go on, Jordyn spoke up.  
  
     “Listen, I'm all for debates, but please. Some of us are tired, annoyed, and just want to go home. You can always talk about it after orientation and get your answers there.” She didn't want to hear any more pointless banter. She wanted to get out of here and quick, especially considering she knew she had pissed Illumi off yesterday after his fight with Killua.   
     “I agree to that.” Hanzo sighed, looking just as annoyed.  
  
     Even Gon seemed to be a little peeved about all this talk of being qualified or not qualified. “Concerning Killua, if he took the exam again, there's no doubt he would pass and become a Hunter. It's a pity he failed, but right now there isn't much we can do about it. On the other hand.” Gon gripped Illumi's arm again, causing it to pop once more. “If he really was manipulated into holding back or to kill people against his will, I will never forgive you.” He glared at the man again, who didn't seem at all phased by it.   
     “So what if you don't forgive me? It won't change my mind at all.” He hummed, though what Gon said next got him more on edge than anything else he had said.  
     “I'll take Killua back. And I'll make sure that you never get to see him again.”   
  
     Illumi visibly twitched at this before he started to lift his hand. Jordyn immediately stood up and turned to him, looking like she was about to pounce at him at any moment. Gon jumped back, letting go of his arm in the process. He had felt something sinister just by him lifting his hand. He didn't know what it was, but he didn't like it whatever it was. She glared at the man before sitting down again, though this time she was more on edge.   
  
     “Is everything alright?” Netero asked after a moment before nodding. “As Jordyn said, everyone can decide for themselves or even discuss if their victory was deserved or not. While the contestants can argue about it, our decisions are final. Killua's disqualification is kept, as well as the success of the others.” He announced, seeing that a few finally settled down, though still looked annoyed about it. He cleared his throat and went on. “Since everyone is here, we'll now tell you everything you need to know about your Hunter's license.” He let the short green man explain everything while he sat back and relaxed.   
  
     The man held up a faux Hunter's license to demonstrate as he began his explanation. “This is your Hunter's License. Despite what you may believe, this is an ordinary card. But it is impossible to fake it or make a copy thanks to new technologies. Even so, it's an extraordinary item. With this card, you are allowed access into 90% of countries that don't allow access to foreigners as well as 75% of the places that are forbidden to enter. 95% of public functions are free for you, this is all paid by big banks and big companies. If you choose to sell your license, you'll have enough money for seven lifetimes! Simply possessing the card allows you full liberty of movement and finances.” He explained before holding up two fingers, then went on. “You only have to be wary of two things: Don't lose your License, and don't have it stolen. You will not receive a duplicate. For one reason or another, one in five lose their cards. So your first mission is to keep your Hunter's License and to not lose it! Next, we'll discuss the rules and customs of our society.”  
  
     It probably took around an hour for everything to be finished up. The new Hunters received all the information they needed. “Train a lot, believe in your abilities. Follow your dreams and progress in life!” The man smiled at them. “The eight people in this room are now Registered Hunters!” With that, they were dismissed and allowed to do what they wished.   
  
     Jordyn stood up from her seat and looked at Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio as they confronted Illumi about the whereabouts of Killua. She sighed and moved closer to them. “He's gone back home, right?” She asked, sounding calm, but still had that hostile look in her eyes as she stared at the assassin. He stared at her almost in the same way but nodded.   
     “Yes, back to Kukuroo mountain. I'm guessing you're going to be taking them there.” She scoffed at him.   
     “Do you even have to ask? Of course I will.” With that, she pretty much agreed she would keep Killua as far from him as possible, just like Gon had promised. They stared one another down for a moment before she waved for them to start heading out. As they left, Illumi lifted a hand after her, but he didn't act upon his intent at all.   
  
     “In all the years I've known her, I've never gotten her to give me that look♦. I'm almost jealous♥.” Hisoka hummed, though could tell that Illumi was just as annoyed as he thought he was.  
     “Oh wait.” Jordyn popped back into the room and looked at Hisoka. “Hisoka, tell Kastro I'll be back at Heaven's Arena in a week. Okay? Thanks!” She ducked back out of the room and regrouped with the others.   
     “Oh♠. She must be really angry with you, she never talks to me like that♣.”   
     “I'm not surprised. She must be far too fond of Killua.” Just like he was.  
  
     “You really know where that mountain is?” Leorio asked, and the others seemed to be just as curious. She scratched her head and smiled a little bit.  
     “Well, I actually live in the country it's in. It's located in the Republic of Padokea, right in the Dentora Region.” She explained.  
     “Whoa really? Is that how you know him?” Gon asked, though she shook her head.   
     “No, I met him in a different way. It's um...kind of silly, actually, how we met.” She chuckled a little before waving them along. “That's not very important right now. I'll buy the tickets and everything, you won't have to worry about spending your own money. And if there's anything else you need, we can always go Surfing.”   
     “Surfing?” Gon looked at them in confusion, though Kurapika seemed to be thinking about something else entirely. He wasn't even paying too much attention to the conversation at hand.   
  


     Jordyn waved her hand in front of him to catch his attention. “Yo, Pika, you okay?”   
     “Hm? Oh...yes, I'm fine. So you know where Kukuroo Mountain is?”   
     “She already said she did.” Now they were certain he was thinking of something else. He would have noticed and remembered that she said she lived close by to it.   
     “By the way, are you alright?” He asked, knowing that she had been on edge for a majority of yesterday and today. Even her outburst during the orientation proved that she wasn't in the best of moods.  
     “I'm fine, at least feeling a lot better than before. I still want to kill him for what he did, but there's no use being hung up on it now. After all, we're going to see Killua, right?” She smiled at them, getting nods of excitement and approval.  
  
     “Hey!” They looked up, seeing Hanzo walking over to them with a big smile on his face. “I'm returning to my country now. It was annoying and seemed to take an eternity to finish, but it was certainly amusing.” He pulled out a few cards from his pack. “If you ever come to my country, contact me. I'll show you all the best tourist spots.” He handed out the business cards that told them pretty much information they already knew. They waved goodbye before another walked up to them.   
  


     “Hey...I'm sorry I lost my temper earlier.” Pokkle apologized to Kurapika. They hadn't discussed much of their quarrels, but they knew that they had spoken out of line to one another.   
     “It's fine, I should apologize as well.” He smiled at him, showing he held no grudges towards him.   
     “I just didn't think such an unsatisfying win would get to me so much.”  
     “Tell me about it.” Jordyn hummed, which seemed to get a chuckle out of him. He seemed to remember that she also had a pretty lousy win herself.   
     “Well, the real problem now is just figuring out what we're going to be, so there's no point in sulking about it now. For me, I'm going to travel the world and look for creatures that haven't been identified yet. In other words, I'm going to become a Beast Hunter.” He announced proudly. Well, he was a lucky one, it usually took someone a while to figure out what sort of Hunter they wanted to be. Even Jordyn and Gon had no idea what sorts of Hunters they would like to be just yet. “If there's any information you need, we can look together!”  
     “Really? That sounds great! There's actually someone I would really like to get information on. They're a Hunter named Ging, I'd like to know a little more about him.” Gon said, hoping that he would be able to get some sort of information about his father.   
  
     “Ging? Do you have a photo?” Pokkle asked as he input the name into his PDA.   
     “No, sorry.”   
     “Any of you?” He looked to the three, who shook their heads. He nodded either way and kept the name saved in his device.  
     “Well, I'll let you know if I find anything. Speaking of, here's my Home Code if you ever need me.” He handed them a card, though Jordyn and Gon seemed a little confused as Leorio and Kurapika exchanged their Home Codes with him.  
  
     “What about you guys? I won't be able to contact either of you if I don't have your Home Code.” The two blinked before smiling a little nervously.   
     “Actually...”  
     “What's a Home Code?”   
  
     The two had grown up in the countryside, and even if Jordyn did go to the city most of her life, she didn't think she had any use for a phone or a Home Code, whatever it was. She could just go to the city to speak with her friends, she didn't think she would ever need something like that.   
  
     “To put it simply, a Home Code is a special type of Phone for when you're not home.” Leorio began, actually seeming happy to explain something for them, instead of having Kurapika do it for him. “Hunters are always on the move, so they have to have one if they want to get the information they need. A Home Code pretty much acts like an answering machine, but with your cell phone, you can listen to messages anywhere in the world. Of course, there's always the problems with hacking and phone taps, so we encrypt our phones with Codes to keep that from happening.”   
  
     “And you mentioned surfing a while ago, right?” Gon asked and Jordyn opted to share what she knew about Surfing.  
     “Surfing is just a simple way to say we look up information on the computer. Except the information we look for usually has a lot of jumps and hurdles to access, but with your phone, you could access it with ease. Though you need to buy a phone number and a phone line that suits you. But once you have that code of yours, you're free to access anything you want! And the Hunter's License makes it that much more easier.” She hummed as she waved her in front of her face happily.  
     “But a lot of information you may find might be false, so you still need to be careful about it.” Kurapika added.   
  
     “Oh yeah, we were told that we can do that, too.” Leorio and Gon looked at their cards, though the boy didn't seem to want to use his just yet. He was a stubborn kid, of course, but it was understandable why he didn't want to use it.  
  
     “Don't worry, I'll just do a lot of tapping and make sure he won't notice me using mine. But I do still have some money in the bank, so I'll use my own funds to buy the tickets.” Jordyn hummed as Gon ran off to talk with Satotz again.   
     “Are you sure he won't notice?” Kurapika asked, though was a little worried as she smirked slyly.  
     “Back in the city, I've been known to swindle people at games of chance. Watch...” She held her license in front of them, making sure they saw which hand she was holding it in. She then turned her hand around, hiding the card from their sight. She hit the sides of her hands together twice, though to them, it looked like she only hit once. “Tell me which hand is the card in.” The three stared at her hands for a moment, not sure which one to pick. Pokkle and Kurapika pointed to her left while Leorio went right. She smiled and turned her hands around, showing it was in her right hand. “That was a lucky guess if I ever saw one.”  
     “You're telling me!” They looked just as surprised as she did, but she chuckled soon after. “Trust me, he won't notice.” She hummed just as Gon walked back over to them. They said goodbye to Pokkle before they headed out of the Hotel and to a local internet cafe.  
  
     Jordyn sat down at one of the computers and swiped her card into the scanner without problem. The computer immediately booted up and she typed in the name of the country. “This is where we need to go. It's a ways away from here, but trust me, it's a beautiful place.” She explained as she pointed to the location of Padokea on the world map. “We can take boat or we can take Airship, your call.” She looked at them, though blinked as she remembered her personal funds. “Uh...actually, boat would be cheaper.” She laughed a little as she began ordering the tickets.  
     “You don't have a lot of money?” Gon asked curiously, though had a feeling she didn't if she was reacting like that.  
     “Honestly, I only have enough money for the groceries right now. And it's a lot of groceries. But since I'm a Hunter now, I don't really need to worry about those funds too much anymore.” She smiled at him and ordered three travelers Visa tickets while she bought a normal ticket for herself.   
  
     “Oh! Could you go to the Hunters Page, please? I want to see if Ging is there.”   
     “Sure thing!” She typed in the webpage and the name, but an entire list appeared. “You're going to have to give me a surname, Gon. I didn't think there was so many people named Ging...”   
     “It's Freecs.” She typed in the surname and smiled as one result came up. They got excited to see as she clicked the name, but the page popped up with a large question mark and text underneath it saying 'This Page is Top Secret'. The three stared in shock at the page, even Jordyn was impressed by this.  
     “What does that mean?”  
     “That means...your father is a very secretive man. All information about him is secret, not a single person would be able to view a single thing about him. Your father must be very amazing, Gon.” She smiled at him, seeing just how proud and excited he looked knowing that his father was this much of an amazing person. It didn't help that his friends were praising him. It just made him even prouder.

 


	9. HomexAgainxHomexAgain

     The four arrived in Padokea almost three days after the Hunter's exam had finished. Of course, Jordyn was very happy to be home, she felt like she hadn't been there in ages. Which was true, considering the Hunter's exam took nearly half of a month to complete.   
  
     “If it were any other circumstance, I would be more than happy to show you around my favorite places to eat and buy souvenirs. Maybe when we all have some free time, we could have a little vacation here!” She chimed happily as she walked them down the streets of the small town. It was an old, historic looking town with Tudor houses that had ivy growing on the sides, the smell of sweets, breads, and meats being prepared in the shops, it looked like the perfect tourist spot for someone who enjoyed historical things like this.   
     “That sounds great, but I'm sure that won't happen for a while. We'll all be pretty busy, won't we?” Kurapika responded, knowing that they'd all be doing their own thing once they got Killua back.   
     “That's why I said when we all have time.” She smiled as she lead them to the train station. Even the train looked worn and old, but it ran like a dream.   
  
     “So you've visited Killua's place before?” Leorio asked as Gon and Jordyn looked out the window, watching the trees and animals pass by.  
     “Well, I guess you can say that. You'll see what I mean when we get there, but I actually went there for training when I was younger. We'll have to take the tour bus since it's much quicker that way than walking.” She hummed before pointing out the window, showing them the jagged mountain in the distance. “That is Kukuroo mountain. Three-thousand and seven-hundred and twenty-two feet above sea level, they say the mountain is still an active volcano, yet the Zoldycks still live there.”   
     “A volcano!?” Now they were sure that Killua's family was crazy. She just laughed before looking out the window again.   
     “It should be fun, though. We're going to visit our friend, right?” Gon smiled at them before pointing something out to Jordyn through the window. She hummed in interest, seeing the herd of large deer that inhabited the forests around the area. Meanwhile, the other two just looked at the two as if they were cooky.   
  
     “By the way, how did you even meet someone like that?” Leorio asked another question as they got off the train and followed Jordyn to the tour guide building.   
     “Who? Illumi? You really want to hear?”   
     “Might as well while we're walking around.” He shrugged as she hummed in thought.  
     “I already told you it's silly, but fine. The only reason I know him is because I interrupted a job of his. He was supposed to kill a man named Giorgio Rossi, a very well known hitman that posed as some sort of high end fashion designer. I got to him first and the rest is history. Though, he wasn't too happy with me at first.” She explained as she put a finger to her chin in thought.   
     “Hitma-What were you doing killing someone that famous!?”  
     “That, I cannot tell you for personal reasons.” Now she just sounded like Kurapika, which was the reason why it caught the blond's attention. Neither of them pushed her for details, but it did leave them curious.   
  
     She showed them to the tour guide, though stopped to grab herself a snack beforehand, and the four got on the bus with the rest of the tourists. She sat next to Gon on the bus, munching on her cucumber while the lady welcomed them to the tour. She had heard this spiel many times before, she almost had it memorized.   
     “Hey...look over there.” Leorio pointed out the two odd looking fellows that were staying at the back of the bus. They certainly weren't good at hiding any of their intentions.   
     “Oh. People like them join these tours all the time. They always think they can get inside the compound, but really, they're just fooling themselves.” She said quietly with a shrug.   
  
     “ _If you look to your left, you'll see the infamous Kukuroo Mountain! Somewhere on this dormant volcano, surrounded by a mar of vegetation, may stand a residence that no one has ever seen before!_ ” The tour guide announced in a mysterious tone, getting a look of excitement out of Gon as he looked out at the window. “ _We can confirm there are at least ten people from the Zoldyck family living on this mountain: The Great Grandfather, Grandfather, Father, Mother, and five siblings. If you're brave enough, we'll be going right up to the gates today._ ”   
  
     They reached the base of the mountain shortly after, and the entire group stood in front of large, stone gates that had two stone dragons perched on top of them. There were numbers on the doors, going from 1 all the way to 7.   
  
     “I remember the gates being a lot bigger...” Jordyn hummed as she stared at them. The three seemed impressed with the sheer height of the gates, wondering just how anyone could get beyond them.   
  
     “To enter, we use the little doors on the right, where we would then see the Guardian of the gates. However, the rest is the Zoldyck's private property, so this is where the tour ends.” The lady said with a smile, though seemed a little angry as Jordyn scoffed. She was quite wrong on her information, and the woman couldn't help but laugh about it.   
     “Are you serious? We're still so far from the mountain! How could the tour be over already!?” Of course, Leorio was the one with all the questions. And rightfully so, considering he was a foreigner to these parts. He didn't know just how impressive the Zoldycks' wealth was.   
     “You see, the entire area this gate wraps around is owned by the Zoldycks.” She explained, which got them even more intimidated. But Gon still seemed determined to get inside.   
  
     He even tapped Jordyn's arm to ask her personally. “How do we get inside? You know this place a lot more from the sounds of it.” She blinked and smiled at him, though the tour guide didn't look all too happy about that.  
     “Didn't you listen to me? It's an Assassin's lair, you won't be coming out alive, besides, there's only that little door to go through.” She looked angry, even though she was smiling. Jordyn was going to explain the correct information, however, she was cut off again which was starting to get on her nerves.  
  
     “That's a bluff.” The two ruffians they had seen on the bus stepped forward, brandishing their weapons and looking far too confident about getting through those gates. “No one has ever even seen this family before.”  
     “And I hear that there's a bounty of 100,000 Jenny just from taking a simple picture of one of them.” The skinnier ruffian smirked as they walked towards the guard's post. The old man looked at the two, looking like he had just woken up from a nap.   
     “From a rumor, it became a legend. But even so, we're sure there's nothing dangerous here at all.” The larger one tore the door off the guard's office, effectively startling the old man. He lifted the guard up with ease, making him struggle in the air. “Give us the key to the gate.”   
  
     “Somebody help him!” Jordyn shrieked, actually sounding like a girl for once, though it just left the three confused. What was this act and why was she doing this all of a sudden?   
     “Geez what a nuisance! I'm going to get in trouble with the Master again.” The old man sounded more annoyed about this than about the two threatening him.   
     “Don't worry, we'll take care of your Master.” They took the key from him and the large one dropped him to the ground. Gon and Jordyn walked over to the old man as the two walked through the small gates.   
  
     “Welp, Mike is going to get a snack before dinner again.” She sighed as Gon asked if he was alright. She helped the old man up, and he seemed to share her concerns.   
     “Yes, it's going to screw his entire schedule up again.” He sighed and thanked her before dusting himself off. He then noticed who he was talking to and couldn't help but look surprised. “Jordyn, what in the world are you doing here?” She just gave him a goofy smile as well as stick her tongue out. They heard a click and looked back at the doors again, seeing a large, furry, clawed paw drop two skeletons back to the other side of the gates. The tourists screamed and ran back to the bus in fear.  
  


     “What are you guys doing, get back on the bus!” One yelled, though the four didn't look to be ready to leave just yet.   
     “No, it's okay, we're gonna stay.” Gon said, which left the tourists and tour guide confused, but they didn't complain. They left them there in a hurry.   
  
     “So you two know one another?” Gon asked as the tour bus left and the guard let them inside his little outpost.   
     “Yes. I've known Jordyn since she was much smaller. I wasn't expecting to see her again, honestly.” He explained as he poured them all cups of tea.   
     “I told you guys I came here for training, right? Well, to be completely honest, I was told these gates were easy to open at first. But that turned out to be a trick.” She hummed and blew on her tea before taking a sip. “He felt bad for me, so he helped me out a little bit.” She giggled at the memory just as he did.   
  
     “So what brings you four here, anyway?” They looked at one another before they began explaining just why they had come here. He hummed and nodded at the end of the explanation. “So you're Master Killua's friends. It's very rare that people visit this place for that! I may get in trouble, but, it's pretty boring for me. The only company I've had was little Jordyn, but after she finished her training, I was alone again.” He looked at the trash can where he had put the bones. “Sure, I get an endless stream of people like them, but they're no fun. They just make my job harder considering it just means Mike is going to get a meal before his actual dinner time.” He shook his head at that but smiled at them again. “Either way, I'm very happy you came by.” He bowed to them, which made them a little bashful. He again sighed as he sat upright. “Unfortunately, I can't let you through. I just can't stand the thought of Mike turning Killua's friends into a pile of bones.”   
  
     They didn't seem happy about the decision, but they didn't lose heart. They still looked rather determined which did make him happy, but he still didn't want them going through that gate. “Mike is the guard dog...the giant paw you saw? That was him. He only obeys the main Family, I can't control him whatsoever. For ten whole years, he has loyally guarded this place and kills any intruder that passes through.” He explained as he blew on his tea and took a sip of it. Jordyn did as well, though looked at the three, wondering which one would notice the oddity first.   
  
     “Tell me, sir, why are you unharmed?” Kurapika asked after a moment, catching both of their attention. “You can enter, right? Otherwise, why would you have that key?” She knew he was insightful and she was happy to see that he got it so quickly. She took another sip of her tea as Zebro continued on.   
     “That's a good foresight you have. However, you're both right and wrong.” He pulled the key from his pocket and showed it to them. “You see, I don't use this key to enter. This key is specifically for intruders.” They again wondered who would get it first. “Out of 10 people, usually 8 or 9 of them try to use the front door, but they find that it won't open. It got to the point that they tried to destroy it, which was annoying, so we had the side door built to keep them from doing that. That way, the intruders go through that door and are killed and eaten by Mike. My only job is to clean up after Mike, that's it.” He explained further, smiling at them when they seemed to realize something.   
     “So then...that means that the front door isn't locked at all!” Again, Kurapika was the first to figure this out.   
  
     They followed Leorio out as he ran up to the front of the gates and started to push. Then he started to pull, but no matter what, the doors just did not budge. “I pull! I push! No matter which way, it just doesn't open! Even when I try to lift it up!” He sounded fed up, which got a chuckle out of Jordyn.   
     “That's just because you're weak.” Zebro chuckled as well as Leorio reacted badly to that. “Jordyn, would you care to demonstrate?”   
     “Of course!” She walked up to the doors and took a deep breath before placing her hands on the cold stone. Her smile dropped as she began pushing the doors open, all the way up to three. “Each door is 2 tons, but the next is 8, then the third is 16. It doubles each time.” She explained as she opened the doors and looked back at them. “Looks easy, doesn't it?” She smiled at them as they seemed excited.  
     “That's great! With you, we can get in easily!” Leorio and Kurapika seemed happy about that, but as soon as she heard them, she jumped back and let the doors slam shut. She then turned to them with a stern look on her face.  
  
     “No, this is your trial, not mine. I can open three of these doors because I trained for it and worked at it. If you three went in thanks to someone else, wouldn't that feel a little bad on your pride? I know you may not like to hear it, but if you want to see Killua, you're going to have to be able to open these doors yourselves.” She scolded, though didn't look too happy about making them go through the training just to see their friend again. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't just go in there to rescue him, anyway. This wasn't her test and she was sure that it would mean much more if Gon was the one to go inside instead of her.   
     “I agree...but I don't really like the thought of being tested.” Gon looked at the two, knowing that they might not like hearing that, but he did understand what Jordyn was trying to say. They did need to get stronger and they did need to pass this test on their own. But overall, he'd much prefer that they didn't have to be tested like this at all.   
  
     She smiled down at him before looking to the guard. “Hey, Zebro. Can I ask you a favor before little Gon here decides to do something drastic?” They looked a little confused but the guard gestured for her to go on. “Gon isn't the most fond of these things, but I know for a fact that if he doesn't get in properly, he's most likely going to fight Mike. So, for me, could you please train them? You know that those stuffy butlers won't allow them entry even if they do pass or say they're Killua's friends. So please?”   
     He takes in a deep breath and sighs, not sure if he could really do that. But he knew she was right, the butlers nor the main family would let them in to see Killua at all. They would be stranded out here and he could tell that the kid was stubborn. The look in his eyes told him that much. “Alright, I will.”   
     “But I don't want to be tested just to see him! I'll go through the intruders door if I have to!” Even if Jordyn told him that he would get training, he was still determined to do things his way. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose while Kurapika and Leorio seemed to be used to this.   
  


     “How about this, Gon. I'll go through the intruder's gates with you.” They looked at Zebro, surprised to hear that he was willing to do that.  
     “No, it's fine, I'll do it myself. I don't want to cause you problems.” Gon insisted but the guard shook his head.  
     “No no, I insist. It would be the same either way. I can't just stand by knowing that Killua's friends were going to die. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself and if I don't, I won't be able to see the Young Master's face again. So, if you die, I'll die as well.” Jordyn was surprised by the selflessness Zebro was showing, but she couldn't help but smile as Gon calmed down and understood the situation. He was a good kid, he was just stubborn and ill-tempered half the time. But as soon as he realized he was causing trouble for others, he calmed down very quickly.   
  
     “Jordyn, will you be staying?” He asked as he walked to the first door. She hummed before shaking her head.   
     “No, sorry. I have to be getting home, it's almost night.”   
     “That's a few hours away still, are you sure?”   
     “Of course! I'll be fine, grandpa.” She chuckled as she waved off his worry. She then smiled at the others confidently. “I know you'll be able to push past this gate on your own soon. I wish you luck in your training.” She shook their hands as a way of saying goodbye but she hugged Gon a little tightly. “I know you'll be able to save him.” She said quietly, sounding very confident in him. He smiled and hugged her back just as tightly.   
     “I will save him, I promise.” He nodded determinedly which got her grinning. She patted his head before stepping back from the group and started to wave.   
  


     “Until we meet again! And good luck with your training!”   
     “We'll see you soon!”   
     “Have a safe trip home, Jordyn!” They waved goodbye as she started to walk down the mountain.   
  
     Her smile had disappeared when she reached the halfway point. She looked back up at the mountain, which seemed much smaller now. She had confidence in them, but they didn't know what sort of challenges lay ahead of them in that compound. “And please...stay safe, don't get yourselves killed...” She said quietly to herself before continuing on down the mountain.

 


	10. HowlxAtxThexMoon

     The Phirun Region of Padokea is known for it's constant rains and it's even rarer occurrence of a clear sky. Nine times out of ten, you will always see it raining in this region. It was known for it's lakes as well as the wildlife that thrived in this sort of climate.   
  
     Wildfires were rare here, and the human inhabitants were usually some shade of gloomy or depressed. Good thing most of the region was farm land instead of thriving city. Farmers adored the climate here because it made growing the crops much easier. Insects were never a huge problem, and most animals they raised were from this region, so there was no need to worry over them suddenly becoming sick or depressed due to the weather.   
     Great Stamps were an exotic farm animal to own here, but most farmers were able to raise them beautifully and make them happy.   
     Hito-Gui or Man-Eating Horses were very common here and if farmers were able to tame them, they would be the talk of the region. They were incredibly hard to tame and they were intimidating. One stare of their eerie white eyes would be enough to stun any person.   
     Cockatrice were also very common in these parts, however, they were nothing like their mythological counterparts. They were just lizards with feathers that isolated themselves to the lakes and rivers that were abundant in the region. They have large eyes and long tongues for catching their prey. Their eggs were valuable, being said to taste like the world's finest meat.   
     Then there was the Nimbus Sheep. Their wool grew in such a way, people would mistake them for clouds. More often than not, tourists always thought they saw walking clouds in flocks all around the region. It gave way to legends, but really, it wasn't something that impressive. Their wool was softer than the most luxurious silk and if they grew attached to you, people say it's like having a companion for life. Farmers earn a lot of money from just an ounce of their wool.   
  
     In short, farmers were the wealthiest people in the region, yet even they still had troubles with money. Things like gambling, fraud, false accusations, loans, or people thinking they can make it big in such an easy way, it was easy to fall into money traps like this. While the farmers could be the wealthiest, it was mostly Underground organizations that ruled this region without question.   
  
     There was only one family that refused that rule, however.  
  
     Jordyn stared down at the broken and charred sign that used to say 'Zweiss' across it. There was a burnt smell in the air, despite the rain that was coming down hard across the land. She looked up, scanning the blackened landscape before her, not looking phased by the sight. She walked down the gravel path, towards her barn that had long collapsed. The stables were empty aside from a few, slow rotting carcasses. She walked over to one, immediately noticing the white patch on the horse's muzzle. There was a human body right next to it in a pile of dried blood. She knelt down to it and stared at the horse for a moment.   
  
     “You naughty boy...you were supposed to protect everyone.” Her voice was barely audible with the rain beating down. She shook her head and looked at the ground instead of the carcass. “No...I was supposed to protect everyone.” She stood up again and left the stables, following the gravel path back to where her home used to stand. Now it was just a pile of ash and burnt wood.   
  
     Despite this, she stepped inside, not minding if she stepped on the ashes or snapped a few weak pieces of wood. She looked around for one specific thing, but couldn't seem to find it right away. The only reason she even looked down was because she hit a metallic object with her boot. It was covered in soot and she had no doubts that the glass had been shattered. She lifted the object up and wiped the soot off with her shirt, revealing it to be an old, bronze picture frame. The picture inside was charred, but not destroyed.  
  
     In the picture, there was a man with short, black hair that was parted down the middle. He looked far older than he was, but he was smiling. Next to him was a long, brown haired woman with pale green eyes. She looked sickly, but again, she was smiling. In the middle of them was a little baby wrapped up in a white blanket. Her eyes were so bright, they looked emerald instead of teal. The picture had been taken during one of the rare moments where the sun was shining in the Phirun region. However, because of the fire it was hard to tell. The woman was barely visible, the edges were missing and the photo was much darker than it used to be.   
  


     Jordyn picked it out of the frame carefully and folded it up before placing it in her shirt for safe keeping. She tossed the frame down to the ground before exiting the remains of the house. As she walked down the gravel path, she starts to laugh. It low and it sounds strained, but she keeps laughing as she walks out of the charred area.

 

     “I should have known this would have happened! I'm such an idiot. I should have asked an actual person to watch the home instead...they weren't prepared for something like this. I never...let them know what they should do in this situation.” She chuckled to herself as she covered her eyes. Her grin was strained, and it looked far more painful than happy. She lowered her hand to her mouth and looked at the ground. “I wonder...was it the Varistradi...or maybe another group...?” She wondered to herself, still trying her best to smile all of this off.   
  
     However, the farther she walked away from her home, the more she began to break down. “I'm sure Kastro will be surprised to see me again...so soon...but...it's the only place I have left.” Her smile finally fell as a crack of thunder sounded through the area. She fell to her knees, muddying her pants and her hands, but she didn't care about that. She threw her head back, screaming into the night sky as the tears she had been holding in for so long finally began streaming down her face. 

  
_Sometimes, we look to the moon_

_howling in despair_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This does it for the first set of chapters, more will be coming as soon as possible.   
> Feel free to leave a comment/feedback(as long as it's not just criticism. Constructive Criticism is the best and it's rude to only be a dick). Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the first set!


	11. UnexpectedxReturn

    “What happened to you!? You're covered in mud, you look like you haven't slept in days and—is that blood? Have you been killing again!?” Jordyn kept her hands on her lap as Kastro bombarded her with questions. At first, he had been very surprised to see her back so soon, he even offered her a seat. But the moment he actually took in her appearance, he got so worried and upset. And all she could do was smile like a child who had just gotten in trouble. “Jordyn...” He sighed, knowing she wasn't taking his worry too seriously. She had never been one to even think of how others feel about her recklessness or her behavior.   
     “I didn't do anything bad, Kastro! This is just left over from the exam. It was pretty hectic.” She lied, but chuckled as she tried to calm his worry. She didn't want to tell him about what happened on her farm, she didn't want him to worry about that. But she also knew he wouldn't train her if she told him. He always told her how fragile she was, but she just didn't believe that. She was strong, brave, did things her own way and at her own pace. She didn't think there was anything to worry about with her.  
  
     He sighed once more but smiled at her. “Speaking of...how was the exam? Considering how dirty you are, I'm guessing it gave you a real workout.” He smiled when she seemed excited to tell him everything. He knew she would be, she had been looking forward to this exam for six whole years.   
     “Oh it was a blast! I met new friends and everything! The first and third exams were easy, but the rest not so much.” She hummed as she counted off the things on her fingers.  
     “You have new friends?” He asked, but didn't seem surprised. He seemed more happy than that. She didn't have friends, it was just him. He would go as far as to say Hisoka was her friend as well, but he just didn't see the two getting along too often.  
     “Yeah! Killua, Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika. Though, I like to think we're friends. We didn't talk too much through the exam, but I'm hoping they like me. Killua and Gon are really sweet kids and they show so much talent, it's a little upsetting Killua didn't pass. I wouldn't be surprised if you see those two here soon, they could easily become Floor Masters if they set their minds to it.” She explained, growing more and more fond the longer she talked about them.   
     “Really? Floor Masters?”   
     “You should have seen them, Kastro! Gon showed off a lot more than Killua did, but both of them have their strengths. Gon is clever, he can come up with plans on the spot and he's already showing talent with Zetsu! Killua is more quick and to the point, he doesn't play around in combat. He'd be a perfect candidate for Leopard Style.” She hummed, nodding as she explained the two boys and how they functioned in the exam. She was good with her observations, but even so, she still lacked in her own abilities, which is why she looked so down after noticing this. “But I felt like I was lacking behind them. I'm not much older than they are, and yet they showed much more talent than me. During the fourth phase of the exam, we had to hunt another examinee. I had so many openings, my target never even noticed I was stalking him. He carried a sword and...I couldn't find a way around it. I was scared of getting hurt and not being able to go on with the rest of the exam. I had to wait for someone else to take him out for me.” She looked down at her lap, gripping the muddied fabric of her pants in her hands.  
  
     Kastro noticed how terribly she felt about being a coward. He couldn't blame her, considering just how much confidence she always showed and how quick she proved herself to be. “There are opponents that make us wary, even myself. And that's okay, Jordyn. There is nothing wrong with being scared or cautious when you fight. You've never faced someone that uses a weapon, you've always been training in hand-to-hand combat, and I blame mostly myself for that since I never let you train with anyone else. There is no need to beat yourself up for that.” He told her gently, hoping to ease some of that uncertainty. He knew how fragile she could be and she wouldn't hesitate to take the chance to beat herself up needlessly over something. “In the end, you passed because of your cautious behavior. If anything, you should be proud of yourself.” He smiled at her, though was still a little worried as she continued looking upset.  
  
     He sighed once more, trying to think of something that would get her mind off of her own personal failures. He didn't believe they were flaws or anything like that, she just didn't seem to understand that everyone had something they were afraid of. She always acted like she had to hold the world on her shoulders and be the one people look up to and feel safe around. It was a noble way of living, but in the end, it always wound up making her crumple from the pressure. He hated seeing that happen to her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to convince her that she didn't have to bear this weight alone. She was stubborn, but oh so motherly in a way.   
  
     “Well, since you've passed the exam, I think it's time you started to work on your own techniques and abilities. I have my Tiger Bite Fist, Hisoka has his cards as well as Bungee Gum. You must be able to find your own technique, one that will suit you and match your style.” He explained, hoping that would get her mind off of things. She looked up at him curiously before pouting.   
     “But you both use Nen to fight. How am I supposed to develop my own ability and technique if I don't have Nen?”   
     “By observation. You may not have Nen now, but considering how observant you are, you can see the flaws in others techniques and come up with ones that will counter those flaws and make them stronger than your opponents. Your Leopard Style is just a base for all the things you could develop. For instance, you could create an ability from the Leopard Claw, where you don't even have to get close to the opponent in order to do damage. Or you could develop something from Eye of Phoenix, where you send a shock wave to your opponent instead of having to focus on one sensitive part of the body. Honestly, the possibilities are endless!” He explained enthusiastically, getting more and more excited the more he thought of ways she could develop. However, she did notice that those abilities sounded more like him rather than her.   
  
     Sure, she liked to make hit and run attacks, but she didn't want to stay hidden or keep away from the opponent anymore. She wanted to get right up to them, use her own body as a weapon, but also keep herself safe from potential threats like swords or knives. She wasn't sure if he understood that she was very different from him and that she didn't have the same abilities or prowess as he did. She knew how narrow minded he could be with his abilities, but she never felt she had the guts to tell him he was pigeonholing himself or that he wasn't focusing on what he was good at. He was still her friend and she could never bring herself to break his enthusiasm.   
    “Well, all of those sound...interesting. But we'll see once I 'observe' some of my opponents.” She smiled a little at him as she stood up from the couch. He stood up as well, but looked adamant about something.  
  
     “Oh no, you're not going out in that. You're lucky, I actually got you a few things as gifts for when you passed the exam.” He walked over to his drawer and pulled out a few neatly wrapped presents. He walked over to her and handed them over, getting a curious look out of her. “Go ahead, open them.” He smiled at her as she did as he asked.  
  


     “Whoa! This is so cool!” She grinned as she opened the first present, seeing a new outfit that was just her style. She placed the other two presents down and pulled out the contents of the first. There was an orange, sleeveless, midriff shirt that had two pieces of fabric at the sides that were anchored down by two golden rings, and in the back was a triangular piece of fabric that covered up her back, looking almost like a singular coat tail. The obi inside was a bright blue color, along with the harem pants. To top it off, he even bought her a pair of gong fu xie that were just her size. “Thank you so much for these! I'll put them on right away.” She chimed and headed to his bathroom to put them on. He was happy to see her so excited, though he couldn't help but notice just how her eyes shifted during their entire conversation.  
  
     She was obviously hiding something from him, something important. He wished he knew what she was thinking and why she always hid things from him. She shouldn't have to feel like she should bear all of the weight by herself. She was going to wind up crushing herself if she wasn't careful.   
  
     Jordyn walked out of the bathroom, having tossed her dirty clothes away since she doubted that the mud and blood would ever be able to wash out of them. She twirled around, causing the weighted rings to spin around and twist around her body once she stopped before they rested at her side again. “I can already think of a few uses for the rings alone. But really, thank you again! I have no idea how you can pick out clothes like this, I'd get everything that doesn't match and think it'd be a good choice to wear.” She chuckled as she twirled around again.   
     “Well, considering you're not fancy or demand high end clothing, there are only a few other styles I can pick from. I still don't understand your affinity for cropped shirts, though...” The stomach was the most sensitive part, he just didn't understand why she would want to show that off.   
     “I like feeling the wind on my tummy, that's all. You won't understand considering all the layers you cover yourself in.” She huffed as she placed her hands on her hips. He chuckled and nodded, being very sure that he would never understand her reasoning.   
  
     “Now, as for your task for today. I want you to watch some of the level 200 matches and see what you can pick up about the fighters, like their weaknesses, their strengths, their most important moves, things like that. How much money do you have left?” He wanted her to understand just what it was like to fight here. It might not be exactly what would happen in the outside world where Hunters fought dangerous criminals or stopped poachers, but it was enough for her to understand what Nen was and just how powerful it was.   
     “Well...” Jordyn scratched her head, telling him that she had no more funds of her own left.  
     “You spent all of your money getting back here!?”  
     “I had to take Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika back with me! They wanted to go visit Kukuroo Mountain, I couldn't just leave them to pay for their own tickets!” She argued as he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.   
     “Alright, I'll get you a few tickets myself. But you're going to have to start fighting in the lower levels soon. I can't be paying for everything, you know.”  
     “I understand, Kastro. Shouldn't be that hard, though, I hear the lower levels are the easiest.” She smiled as she flexed and patted her arm. She was confident she could get to the 200th level without much trouble with her strength. He was sure she would, too, but for now, she needed to do some studying of her own.  
  
     Kastro bought her five tickets to matches he thought were worth watching, and let her go on her way to studying. She wasn't entirely sure just what she was going to be looking for, but she was sure that there would be something she would pick up on. The first match wasn't all that spectacular, she barely noticed what was going on thanks to the fact she couldn't even see Nen at the moment. For all she knew, they could be doing amazing tricks that would give her hints, but so far, she just didn't see much. The second match was much the same. She never realized just how annoying the announcer could be, though. She was always so into the fights before, but now that she was trying to notice patterns, she could hear every loud announcement the woman made. She wondered how the fighters could concentrate in these competitions with someone being so loud.   
  
     However, as the third match went on and the announcer got excited over the fight, Jordyn began noticing a pattern in one of the fighters. He would constantly move back and forth, as if he were creating some sort of illusion. She sat up in her seat and leaned forward to get a better look at the fighter. He was using a well known fighting style, she had noticed that as the match began, but now he was doing something completely different, but completely reasonable for his type of fighting. Someone with a trained eye would be able to notice right away, but someone who didn't would have a tougher time seeing the sudden change in his pattern. She couldn't see what was happening, but his movements along with the opponent looking confused made it clear that something was happening. The opponent didn't even seem to realize when the attacker was moving towards him, and with one swift kick, he was KO'd.   
  
     The last two matches were much the same, where Jordyn would notice a sudden pattern change that would seem absolutely normal to anyone else. It was amazing that something so minute would be so noticeable, and she couldn't even use Nen yet. Was this why Kastro wanted her to view 200 level matches instead of regular ones? Because she would be able to notice the changes without being distracted by what was going on? She would have to ask him that, she knew that, but she was actually a little excited for having seen it.   
  
     “Well? Did you learn anything new?” Kastro asked as she arrived back at his room after she had viewed all the matches he assigned for her to watch. He was currently eating dinner, having ordered two plates since he knew she would be back around this time.  
     “Yes! It was amazing, I was able to see very small changes to fighter's styles as the matches went on. There was this one Dragon fighter that used the side steps to his advantage, he probably created an entire illusion around it to add to the confusion.” She recalled enthusiastically as she sat down beside him.   
     “That's very good! And I trust you remember Hisoka's fights from when you were little, right?” He motioned for her to start eating, which she did, but she couldn't help but be a little confused.  
     “Huh?”  
     He couldn't help but chuckle. “When you were younger, I remember you cheering all the time during his fights. I believe you were his youngest fan.” He recalled, which made her look embarrassed again.  
     “That's because I was little and I enjoyed the violence. But yes, I do remember the fights now that you've jogged my memory...he always did something weird, like he would be able to pull the opponents towards him, he would never move at all during the entire match. I'm guessing his Nen ability has something to do with that?”  
     “Of course it does. He's very confident in himself and he's never once moved from his starting position the entire time he's been here. So he has a Nen that will aid him in keeping that record. I'm sure there's more to it, but that's all I've seen it be used for.” He hummed and took a drink. “Now that you've seen those fighters use a signature type of Nen to aid them, I think it's time you start thinking of your own abilities that will help you. After all, you can't rely on your basic style forever.”   
  
     She knew she would have to, but the only problem was, she wasn't sure what needed improving or what would be good to compliment her style. She chewed her food in thought, wondering just what she could do to better her style.

 


	12. Haste

     The next morning, Kastro had left Jordyn to think to herself while he went to a match so he could secure his eighth win. She hadn't entered herself in the roster just yet, so she had all the time in the world to think about this. She just didn't realize how hard it could be to think of something like a signature move or a style that complimented her current one. Having a rather old style of fighting made it hard to see how to improve it. She could mix styles, but that wouldn't feel right to her. It was always something about reserving such a traditional style that made it hard for her to feel okay with incorporating another into it.   
  
     She tugged on one of her stubborn hair 'antennae' as she walked through the lobby of the tower, trying her best to think of how to really improve herself. “This shouldn't be so difficult...then again, I'm no where near as skilled as the people on the 200th floor. I'm not even sure why I have to think of this now when I can't even use Nen yet.” She hummed to herself as she rubbed her chin before sighing in frustration.   
  
     “Oh, it's a surprise seeing you here so early♦.”  
     “Oh Gods no...” She turned around with an annoyed look on her face, seeing the mischievous looking magician standing behind her, looking eerily innocent. She knew damn well he wasn't, she wasn't sure why or who he was trying to convince, but it was a little creepy. “Hello Hisoka...I wasn't planning on being back this early, but here I am.” She didn't seem too enthusiastic to speak with him. Then again, who would?  
  
     “Did something happen in your little paradise♣? You would never cut a visit short like this♠.”   
     “What do you want, Hisoka?” She sounded annoyed, but didn't tell him anything about what happened at her farm. She didn't need anyone to know, it would just cause trouble.  
     “I was just checking up on a friend♥.” She gave him a look telling him she really did not believe that. He had no friends, who was he trying to fool? He let it go and decided to talk about something else so she wouldn't look so annoyed anymore. “Have you started your Nen training yet♣?”   
  
     “No, Kastro has me thinking of a signature move right now. Something that will compliment my style.” She explained, though sighed again. “I'm having a terrible time figuring it out, though.”   
     “It doesn't sound like he's a very good teacher♠.” She sent him a glare, daring him to repeat that again. Sure, she should be learning Nen now, but she was sure he had a good reason for having her think of something else. “I'm telling the truth, Jordyn♦. If you choose to learn from him, you might just wind up dead.” He warned and walked towards the elevators to get back to his room, leaving her to think about her choice of teacher. To her, he was just trying to scare her by thinking she wouldn't go anywhere with her development. Well, she wasn't going to let it get to her...Even so, she still wondered if Kastro's assignment was really all that well thought out. Especially for someone like her.   
  
     Jordyn decided to go back to his room and wait for him to return so she could question him on his methods. She already knew he was by no means an excellent teacher, but he did teach her how to fight properly and to actually be a decent person in public, so she was confident he was doing his absolute best with this. But she knew she had to start learning Nen soon if she ever wanted to reach the higher levels of this tower. She couldn't stay in the lower brackets the entire time.   
  
     “Did you come up with anything?” Kastro asked once he saw her waiting on the couch for him after he walked in. She looked back at him and smiled a little.   
     “I've been trying, but nothing's really come to mind...But there's something I want to talk to you about, Kastro.” She stood up from the sofa and walked over to him. He was a little surprised by how eager she looked to ask him whatever it was that was on her mind.   
     “What is it?”   
     “I think...it would be a good idea if I start Nen training right away. I mean, you even said that I can't be with you all the time and that I should get a room soon. But I can only go so far with the basics, I won't be able to get up to your level like this.” She was sure that he would teach her if she said something like that, which is why she rehearsed the whole thing in her head before he got back.   
  
     He blinked a few times before sighing a bit. She was right, he did tell her he didn't want her living with him the entire time, so it would be good if she did learn Nen before she started fighting. But to be fair, he just wasn't sure if she was ready. To him, she was still a child, and even though she passed the Hunter's Exam, he still felt she was far too young to learn something so dangerous.  
  
     “Jordyn, with the way you meditate and pray, I think you're on your way to learning Nen all by yourself.” He tried to convince her to take it slow instead, but the look on her face told him she wasn't going to just let the conversation go that easily.  
     “But I heard that method takes such a long time! I'm already good at Zetsu, but I think it's time I learned the other techniques as well.” She argued, really hoping he would just cave in.  
     “You are? Let me see then.” He put his hands behind his back and watched her, knowing that she would demonstrate without hesitation. And he was right.   
  
     She took a breath and while he could see her standing right in front of him, it felt like she was invisible. He couldn't sense her, only see her. He smiled and nodded. “And the reason you're so good at that is because of your lifestyle. And while that was one you honed on your own during your life, you have natural abilities that you were born with, such as your stamina and endurance. This can all be helped with Nen, however, everyone has a unique Nen type that can change throughout their lives. You remember what the attributes are, right?” She practically beamed as he started to lecture her about Nen and the natural abilities that comes with it.   
     “Yes! Enhancement, Emission, Transmutation, Manipulation, Conjuration, and Specialization.”  
     “Very good! Now...the main problem with training you is the fact that I am an Enhancer. If you aren't one, I can't teach you much aside from the basics.” Despite that, it didn't stop him from dipping into the other Nen types for his own technique.   
     “That's fine! I'd be happy to learn from you either way, Kastro. I'll come up with all my own abilities by myself, just like you did.” She stopped used Zetsu and looked so excited to start learning. He was sure that that was what he enjoyed the most about her, her eagerness to learn and grow stronger despite the difficulties that came with it. He may not know her reasons for wanting to be stronger, but there was something to admire from her determined demeanor.   
  
     He walked over to her, standing behind her as he took off his cloak and rolled up his sleeves. “There is a method aside from meditation and prayer. Another Nen user can inject their aura into someone, causing their Shouko, or Aura Nodes, to open up. However, it's risky considering the user could have ill intentions behind their aura.” He warned her as he touched her back with his finger tips. “Do you trust me, Jordyn?”  
     “Of course I do, Kastro. You would have killed me by now if you hated me, besides, I can't help but trust my big brother.” She grinned back at him as she said that, getting him to blush and be a little flustered. No, they weren't related, but after spending so much time with him, it really did feel like they were related. He smiled at her and nodded.  
     “Alright...it'll feel weird at first, but I know you'll be fine.” He took a breath before he shot his aura into her, opening her shouko and watching as her own aura started to escape her body.  
  
     She gasped and felt as if something was pricking at her shoulders, it felt and looked amazing. She took a few breaths as she watched her aura escape her body. She seemed to realize what she should do and immediately calmed her aura, focusing it into a teardrop shape around her body, not allowing another wisp of it to escape. Kastro took a step back, watching her focus herself with ease.   
  
     “You already show you can use Ten without problem. I would be surprised if you hadn't shown me Zetsu first. But you still have Ren and Hatsu to work on, so you won't be completely without training.” He explained, though was sure she would learn those with ease as well, well, maybe Ren. Hatsu was all about action and considering she didn't even know her Nen type yet, she wouldn't know how to put her Hatsu into action for a while. Even if she did know, he doubted she would create an ability to fast. “And you'll have to learn how to keep your Ten active even while you sleep. I'm sure even you get lazy when you want to rest for a few hours.” She blushed a little and looked away. He chuckled and smiled at her.   
     “By the way...is there a way for me to learn my Nen type without completely guessing? I would like to know what I need to train for ahead of time.” She asked after brushing away her embarrassment. He didn't seem too happy with her being hasty, but he could understand why she would want to get things out of the way first before she got herself situated with what she should be training in.  
  
     “Yes...it's called Water Divination. Are you sure you want to learn this soon?”   
     “Of course! The faster the better.” She smiled at him still, though she noticed he seemed a little hesitant. But he eventually agreed and went to prepare for the divination. He brought a glass of water in from the kitchen, and set it down on the table before he placed a single leave on top of the water.   
     “You know how to use Ren?” He asked, making sure that she wasn't getting too ahead of herself.  
     “That means 'Refine; Enhance' right? And all I have to do is just make more aura while keeping my hands at the sides of the glass, right?”   
     “Exactly...how did you learn all this?”  
     “I like reading books when you're gone.” She hummed as she walked over to the coffee table and put her hands at either side of the cup. He hadn't been aware he had books on Nen, then again, it wasn't completely a secret since there was a whole other set of principles to the Nen abilities. She must have read a meditation book at one point while he was fighting.   
  


     He watched as she let her aura surround the glass. At first, it didn't seem like much was happening. But then, the leaf started to move, or rather twitch on the water. She blinked and pulled her hands away, staring at the water curiously. “The leaf moved...”  
     “That means you're a Manipulator. You're able to control people, animals, plants, and even objects.” He explained, though noticed her face contort into one of distaste. She wasn't at all happy about this, considering this meant she was in the same category as Illumi was. He didn't know this, of course, but he patted her head regardless. “This gives you a lot of potential, Jordyn, as well as training. Normally Manipulators can move the leaf around in circles on the water's surface. You only made it twitch. You're going to have to work on making your aura stronger and I trust that you'll be able to train every day just as you said.” He tried to cheer her up, though he really didn't see what was so bad about being a Manipulator. She had options, she didn't have to fight hand-to-hand anymore, meaning she could just have something or someone else fight for her.   
  
     “Yeah...you're right. Though, I still have no clue what sort of ability I should develop for this. I'll just focus on the four principles for now. I'm glad I know now, but it's probably going to drive me nuts the entire time.” She hummed as she scratched her head. He smiled at her and nodded, understanding a little of her frustration.   
     “Take your time to figure it out, and just focus on the principles like you said. I have faith you'll become a wonderful Nen user, Jordyn.” He bumped their heads together, just like he used to do when she was younger and feeling down. It was a sign of affection and no matter what, she couldn't help but smile because of it, which made him happy.

 


	13. ThexCelestialxTower

     Heavens Arena, a 3,250 foot tall tower that was the prime spot for fighters to come and compete to reach the top. 251 floors in total, it's a constant struggle for fighters to keep their spots in the towers. Levels 1 to 100 were considered the easiest among veterans, 101 to 199 were the expected difficulty to anyone not familiar with the tower, and the entire 200th level was considered impossibly hard to the uninitiated. Beyond the 200th level, fighters are given the chance to fight a Floor Master, people who have an entire floor to themselves. If they manage to defeat the Floor Master, the winner becomes their replacement. At the absolute top of the top, there is an arena that, once every two years, holds a tournament called Battle Olympia, where fighters from all around compete to see who's the best...and the prize of winning in the tournament is getting to live on the 251st floor, which is a penthouse.  
  
     To most fighters, Battle Olympia was their ultimate goal, but to some others, just getting the prize money was enough. Floors 1-50 get a prize of just enough to get a drink, no matter the outcome of the battle. Beyond 50, winners get 50,000 Jenny. The 100th floor offers two prizes: The competitors own private room as well as one million Jenny. The 150th floor, all the way to the 200th, offers over 10 million Jenny. After that, there is no more prize money. The prize for winning matches on the 200th floor is glory.  
  
     “Start!” The referee announced and stepped out of the ring to let the two fighters begin. Jordyn stood across from a strongly built man. The audience couldn't tell who looked more confident, though many of the bets had been placed on the man. She wasn't offended by this, not in the slightest. She actually preferred people to be surprised than not. She chuckled to herself and waited for him to move first before she did. She had made a habit of mocking her opponents somehow, either by laughing at them or openly taunting them about being scared or reluctant to fight someone so young. They never were, but her taunting always managed to rile them up.  
  
     Her laugh seemed to be enough, though. The man looked angered about her confidence and carefree attitude. She should be quivering and scared when facing someone like him! Not laughing like he was a pathetic opponent. She smirked as he charged at her, raising his fist to slam it into her head. She took a step forward, ducking under his arm and used her knuckles to hit his ribs. It wasn't a devastating blow, it was more of a distraction to keep him looking down where she should be while she placed her other hand on his muscled arm. She hoisted herself up, letting go of his arm when she was high enough, then roundhouse kicked him right in the back of the head. He coughed before falling face first onto the tile of the fighting ring as she landed beside him. The rings of her shirt clanked onto the ground as she landed in a crouching position, before she stood up again to look over the man's unconscious body.  
  
     “ _It's a KO! Jordyn advances on!_ ” The announcer yelled along with many of the surprised spectators. The young woman looks to be happy with this, and even bows to the crowd. She's just happy that she's finally able to get to the 100th floor, considering she's had to spend most of her nights in either Kastro's room or a hotel. Now she could have her own room and start saving up her Jenny for when she really needed it. Sure, the hotel expenses weren't really putting a dent in her earnings, but it would be nice for her to start saving up, anyway.  
  
     She received her ticket as she headed out of the room, then collected her winnings at the counter. “Haha~ It's so heavy~” She hummed happily as she started to walk towards the elevator. A little over twenty days had passed since she had started her training and she had only recently gotten to the hundredth floor. That was mostly her fault considering she preferred training rather than showing up to her matches. She only recently started to take them seriously, mostly because she felt like a mooch to Kastro. He had been kind enough to let her sleep on his couch the past few weeks, and it was actually her decision to start using a hotel until she got her own room.  
  
     Before she could get on the elevator, however, she couldn't help but notice a familiar tuft of white hair at the registration counter. She took a few steps back, and looked again. Her eyes lit up as she saw two familiar boys registering to participate in the fights. She smiled and instead headed to the first floor to see their matches. The first floor fighting room was always boring. There were sixteen rings total in the single room, and only a few dozen spectators could watch at a time. Usually, there weren't very many spectators in the room, just the fighter's friends cheering them on or people who had a pretty bad gambling problem. That or they just liked to live on the edge, she wasn't too sure.  
  
     She sat herself in the middle aisle where she could see the rings just fine. She crossed her leg over the other and rested her arms in her lap as she waited for the boys' numbers to be called. She was curious to see just how strong they had gotten since the Hunter's Exam, though she wasn't expecting too much. After all, it had only been a little over twenty days since she had parted from Gon and his friends at the Testing Gate. She was confident that Gon had gotten stronger, though she was curious to see how Killua would do in these types of fights. It wouldn't be like in the Hunter's Exam, they could knock out their opponent or even kill them and they wouldn't get disqualified. So, they didn't really have much to worry about in these tournaments. Anything was fair game, as long as they didn't use any weapons on the first 199 floors.  
  
     As the two were finally called to their rings, she couldn't help but chuckle as a lot of the spectators doubted the boys. She lived for the doubt in her audience, but she did understand why they would doubt them. They were just kids, so of course no one would take them seriously. But if they knew what she did, they wouldn't be so quick to judge. She hummed and watched curiously as Gon got into his ring, standing in front of a man that was a few feet taller than he was. He looked like a giant compared to the boy. It just fueled more of the audience's jeering. The ref went over the rules, before beginning the match. The rules were simple, they just had three minutes to show off their skills so the judge could properly place them on a floor that was equal to their skill level.  
  
     Now, Jordyn was expecting a lot of skill from the boys even if Gon couldn't use his fishing pole to help him. They more than proved themselves in the Hunter's Exam, but she was expecting the match to drag on a little. What she wasn't expecting was Gon to be able to just push his opponent out of the ring and into the railing halfway across the room. Her mouth hung open as did the other spectators. She looked over to Killua's ring, already having his opponent downed because of a hit to the back of the head. Half of the room had gone silent after seeing that, even the ones that had been overly confident that the boys would lose had shut up.  
  
     “I was expecting them to get stronger, well, at least Gon. But I wasn't expecting that. Those boys really are scary...no wonder Hisoka has a fancy for them.” She hummed as she bit her thumb nail, waiting out in the lobby for the boys to get their earnings. She would like to at least talk with them and ask how things went at the Zoldyck manor, but she couldn't help but wonder just how strong they would grow. Gon could barely hold his own against Hanzo and now she was confident he could at least keep up with him and not get his arm broken again. But that was all her thinking he could come up with a proper plan rather than just argue his way through to getting a win. In truth, he still had a long way to go when it came to being Hanzo's equal. She was sure even she could outsmart him in a match, but it was his strength that intimidated her. “Kids really do grow fast...” She hummed before noticing the two walking out to collect their earnings.  
  
     She smiled and walked up behind them, using Zetsu so they wouldn't notice her right away, then just simply tapped their shoulders. They seemed surprised and looked back to see her smiling at them.  
     “Jordyn!” Gon seemed excited to see her again, then again, he would always be happy to see a friend after not seeing them for a while.  
     “What are you doing here?” Killua asked, just as surprised to see her. Then again, he wasn't too sure why he wouldn't think to see her here. She probably had to earn money too, somehow.  
     “I could ask you boys the same thing! I'm here for training and getting money.” She nodded with a sigh.  
     “Oh right, you were totally broke when we separated...sorry.” Gon smiled at her as he scratched his head, though she waved it off like it wasn't a big deal. It really wasn't, considering she had earned back the money and then some through these fights.  
     “Yeah speaking of...Why the hell did you let him convince you to buy those three Visa tickets instead of just using their Hunter licenses?” Killua looked a little annoyed as he asked her, but she just scratched her head and stuck her tongue out.  
     “What can I say? Gon convinced me not to use it. He's a very persuasive kid.” She hummed, though he still looked annoyed.  
  
     He sighed and shook his head. “Well, either way, we're here for the same reasons you are. Gon wants to fight Hisoka and we kinda need to earn money. So we have to do a lot of training.” She stared at the two blankly, but more specifically, she was looking at Gon like he was crazy. She held up her hand before he could explain why and just shook her head.  
     “If that's what you wanna do, then okay. Just know that I don't think the first 199 floors are going to help you very much.”  
     “What do you mean?” She looked at the two, realizing they have no idea what Nen is. She was still learning, so it wasn't like she could teach them properly or even at all. They would have to learn through experience. She smiled at them and patted their heads.  
     “You'll see what I mean when you get there. I have all the confidence in the world you'll make it there in less than a week!” She said happily as Killua tried to fix his hair and Gon looked at her with curiosity. He wondered what was so special about the 200th floor and why the preceding ones weren't going to help. He could tell she wasn't going to tell them, which was fine by him. He liked surprises. They looked at one another, wondering what could be at the 200th floor. They smiled in excitement before the three parted ways.  
  
     “I just hope they don't get themselves killed...” She sighed, knowing very well what happened to newbies on the 200th floor. Veterens would attack them with Nen, usually as an ambush or through a match without the newbie even knowing. It was called 'Baptizing' and more often than not, it left the newbie crippled in some way. Either they get paralyzed or lose entire limbs. Only those who knew about Nen could survive the baptizing, and she was sort of thankful that Kastro had told her about it long before she started her training. The last thing she wanted was to be caught off guard by some over confident fighter.  
  
     She made her way to the elevator and showed the attendant her ticket for the 100th floor. The floor didn't look all that different from the first 99, but instead of a few entrances spaced between one another, there were doors lining the halls with only a small gap dividing them. “Please enjoy your stay.” The elevator attendant smiled at her before shutting the doors as she stepped out with a 'thank you'. She checked her ticket to make sure she got the right room number.  
  
     “It's small, but it'll do for now.” She wasn't expecting to stay on the floor for very long, anyway. She had made it here in the span of two days, if she was right, she was predicting right, she should get to the 200th floor in the same amount of time. It all depended on the referees that she got, considering every one of them had a different system to tallying points. The room itself was about the size of a small dorm room. There was a single, double-sized bed with a chair and two bookcases. The windows were tall enough to be considered Floor-to-Ceiling windows, giving her a wide view of the city below. She set her two other wrapped presents from Kastro down on the shorter bookshelf before sitting on her bed and looked out of the window. It gave her the same view that the Airship did so many weeks ago. It was beautiful to her, but it didn't really feel like home in the slightest. She missed the earthy smells, sheep baa-ing in the distance, the smell of rain, the sound of thunder overhead, and the eerie fog rolling in from the surrounding forests. She missed her home far too much to really enjoy the new view.  
  
     “Who am I kidding...I can't go back there, I don't have any place to stay.” She sighed to herself as she kicked her shoes off and picked up the phone the room provided. “Yup, room service...Kobe steak, please. ...Yes I'm sure. Oh! And grape juice! If you have the fizzy stuff, that's even better. Thank you.” When in doubt, eat your sorrows away; that was usually her motto when she was feeling down. She dropped the phone back on the receiver before dropping herself onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she bounced her foot on the plush comforter. “If I'm lucky, I should be at the 200th floor in no time. But even if I do get there with Nen, I won't get far with the basics. I'll have to really start thinking of something and quick.” She sighed a little as she spoke to herself. In the 21 days she had been training, she had never once been able to figure out what ability she should develop. She knew it would be hard to think of one that would suit her or help her improve, but she was sure she would have developed one by now. She looked at her hand and hummed in wonder before hearing a knock on her door.  
  
     She sat up and walked over. “That was fast...” She hummed and opened the door, only to see Kastro there. She was surprised, since she hadn't even told him her room number or that she won her match. He looked rather happy either way.  
     “Congratulations on your victory! I'm surprised to see you here so early.” He let himself in and looked around the small room, remembering when he had to stay in one of these just a year ago.  
     “Thank you...but how did you know where to find me? Or even that I made it here?” She asked as she shut the door and walked back over to her bed as he took a seat on the single chair.  
     “I was watching your match, that's why. And you still don't seem to be good at noticing others following you. Were those the two boys you were telling me about?” He asked, though had a rather smug look on his face just because he caught her by surprise. That was the one flaw he had, he was far too confident in himself and acted like he was the greatest person here. But even so, Jordyn had a hard time hating him or thinking he was too narcissistic. He was like family to her and she loved every part of him, even his smug attitude.  
     “I'm still working on that, don't criticize me.” She huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “But yes, those were the boys I were telling you about. Like I said, they still have a lot of potential. I really do think they'll reach the 200th floor in little over a week. It's almost frightening with how fast they grow.” She hummed in interest as she thought about the boys again. “I just hope they'll learn Nen before they reach the 200th floor. I'd hate to see them get hurt.”  
  
     “If you're confident in them and their abilities, they'll be just fine. You don't have to worry.” He tried to comfort her in the only way he really knew. If she knew that someone was strong enough to survive on their own, she wouldn't worry as much. Even so, she would still be worried over them regardless of what she was told. She sighed a little and nodded as she scratched her head. He smiled at her again before looking around. “So how long do you think it'll take you to get to the 200th floor? I'm expecting at least a week.” He leaned forward, hoping to get her excited and a little riled up.  
     “I'm expecting at least two days! Three if I get bad luck with the referees.” It was her turn to get confident in herself, and it actually excited him for a moment.  
     “You're really that confident, huh? Can't blame you when you have bullheaded opponents all the time.” He chuckled before rubbing his chin. “Well, I can't deny you'll get there quickly with how fast you're developing. Before you know it, you'll probably be seeing me as a rival as well, hm?” He chuckled again with a big grin on his face. She blinked at that but couldn't help but laugh as well.  
  
     “Oh don't worry about that, I won't see you as a rival. I don't even really want to fight you, no offense. Hisoka's the real target.” She nodded, though to her, it was an obvious lie. She didn't want to fight Hisoka or Kastro at all, either because she knew better than to do something so stupid or she lacked the desire to truly want to fight them. No, she would much prefer to fight Illumi if ever possible. After what he pulled at the Hunter's Exam, she wouldn't hesitate attacking him. She even noticed his own desire to kill her when she agreed to take Gon and friends to Kukuroo Mountain. It was kind of hard not to notice it, anyway.  
     “Hm? Really?” Kastro blinked in surprise before he smiled apologetically. “Well, I should apologize in advance. Hisoka and I have already agreed to a date when we'll have our rematch. I can't guarantee you'll be able to face a dead man.” He smiled at her, though she wasn't smiling back. She stared at him as if to wonder if she had heard him right. She wanted to have all the confidence in the world and tell him that he would definitely be able to best him in a match. But she didn't. Hisoka was out of their league, she had a lot of doubts that even Kastro would be able to land a hit on him. She wanted to have confidence in him, but she knew they both lacked the experience and skill to even get close to him.  
  
     She wanted to tell him all of her worries and to tell him to cancel the rematch, but as she stared at that smiling, excited face of his, she knew she wouldn't be able to. Of all the people she knew, she didn't want him to be the one to lose heart. His whole life revolved around this tower and training in Nen. If she were the one to tell him he didn't have a single chance of winning against Hisoka, she didn't want to know what that would do to him. She tilted her head and smiled at him the best she could.  
  
     “And I'll be rooting for you the entire way. I can't wait for the match.” His grin grew wider and he even ruffled her hair.  
     “And I'll make sure you won't be disappointed! It'll be really exciting...You've never seen my first match, did you?” She shook her head, but before he could go into detail, there was another knock on her door.  
     “Oh, that must be my dinner. Uh...It was really nice talking with you, Kastro. I'll see you on the 200th floor.” She got up from her bed and walked him to the door. She opened it up and allowed the Heaven's Arena employee walk in with her tray of food.  
     “Yup! See you then.” He waved goodbye before he headed back to the elevator with the employee, leaving her to eat in peace.  
  
     Jordyn shut the door and sat on her bed, removing the lid from her tray of food. The steak was still sizzling hot and her can of grape soda was dripping cold...and yet, she didn't feel so hungry anymore. Just the thought of what would happen to Kastro once he and Hisoka had their match was enough to turn her stomach. She was scared to know, but she was even more scared of ruining his confidence. She picked up her fork and knife, took a deep breath and started to practice her Nen while she ate. The multitasking she had herself do was supposed to help her concentrate on something else while just using Nen subconsciously. However, even she couldn't help but notice the ripple that flowed through her aura, making it seem as if she was in water.

 


	14. ThexPriestxWithoutxAxName

     Just as she and Kastro predicted, Jordyn reached the 200th floor in little under four days. She had gotten rotten luck with referees, mostly getting ones that refused to give points unless they were impressed by the skill shown by fighters. She was definitely the type to finish her matches fast and efficiently, but there were times she couldn't get a KO which dragged the match along far more than needed. It was frustrating and part of her knew why some of her matches lasted so long.  
  


     Ever since Kastro had told her about his rematch, she had been nervous and thinking far too much on it. She wasn't able to perform like she did in the previous floors, which caused her to get sloppy and only get Clean Hits instead of Critical Hits or KOs. She had recently just started coming out of that odd funk thanks to her concentrating on other things and continuing on with her meditation. It made her feel better and a lot lighter, though the worry was still in the back of her mind.   
  
     She thanked the elevator attendant as she stepped off onto the floor and took a good look around. It was much more elegant up here, there were decorative plants, the red carpet felt plush and soft as opposed to the concrete tiles in the lower levels, the ceilings and floors were trimmed with white panels which complimented the peach colored walls. It smelled a lot nicer up here as well. She walked down one of the halls, checking the ticket to make sure she was headed in the right direction.  
  
     “It's a newbie.” She looked up from her ticket, seeing three men in front of her. One was bound to a wheelchair, another had a pole for a leg, and the last one seemed to be missing his arm.   
     “Oh, you must be veterans.” She hummed, curious as to how they got their injuries. She wasn't very scared of them, they didn't seem to be too much of a threat right now. “I need to find the registration desk, I don't want to have to be booted all the way down to level one again. So surely you three must know where it is.” She smiled at them, not being afraid to lower her guard. She knew exactly why they were hanging around the elevator's hallway, they wanted to Baptize newbies by tricking them into easy fights. She already had a plan to get them to back off, though, so she had no worries about them.  
     “It's this way, right down the hall.” The one with the missing arm moves aside and pointed towards the desk.  
     “We need to register as well, but since you're new, we'll let you go first.” The one in the wheelchair smirked at her as she walked ahead.   
  


     “Well, isn't that very nice of you.” She handed her ticket to the clerk and looked at the form she handed to her.   
     “Would you like the Fighting Form as well?” The woman asked as she handed her one of the forms she had to fill out.  
     “Hm? Oh! Yes please!” She had nearly forgotten about it, which would not have been good. On the 200th floor, there were two forms fighters had to fill out. One was a basic Inscription Form where all they needed to put in was their full name, age, height, things like that. Another was a Fighting Form. On this Form, contestants fill out if they want to choose certain Dates and Times for their fights, let's their opponents choose the fight, or they come up with a completely different option. Again, she probably would have been completely confused if it weren't for Kastro explaining everything to her.   
  
     As she began filling everything out, she couldn't help but notice how eager these Veterans were to start signing up. And she knew very well they were preying on her, knowing she most likely hadn't mastered the basics just yet. And she had to admit, she was a little out of her league up here. She was still mastering the basics and she had yet to develop an ability of her own to give her an advantage here. But that didn't mean she was completely helpless. As she filled out her forms, she decided to do what is known as Posturing. She began using Ren, making herself seem more and more dangerous to them. And, surprising even to her, they seemed to fall for it. Putting her ill intents into her Aura really did seem to do the trick, it was surprising, but she was happy she wouldn't have to fight them right away.   
  
     She handed the forms back to the clerk and smiled as she handed her the key to her room. “You'll get a notification for your next battle. We hope you enjoy your stay.” The woman smiled at her as she took the key.  
     “Thank you. I can't wait to see when the battle starts.” She hummed and turned to the other three. The wicked smile she gave them and the murderous look in her eyes made them take a step back away from her. “Maybe I'll see one of you three in the ring. Who knows.” She walked passed them and down the hall towards her room.   
  
     “We still have time until our time runs out...”  
     “Maybe another newbie will come around. She won't be the only one.” They decided to hang around the elevator a little longer, waiting for another sucker to come through.  
  
     Having prompted for others to request a fight with her, Jordyn felt she could relax for a few days so she could practice her Nen a little more and figure out what she wanted to do for an ability. She didn't see anyone else in the hall and she was sure no one would immediately fight her, even if she was a newbie. A lot of people held their pride in these fights, and not a lot of them would want an easy win against a new comer, so in a way she was lucky for being so weak.   
  
     She checked the room number on her key then looked up at the number listed on the door before heading inside. “Whoa...” She looked around the room, taking in the more ornate style of it. A Queen Sized Canopy Bed, silk curtains, ornate rugs and furniture, dark floors against white walls, it was very fancy. Who knew how much this sort of room would go for in a hotel. “It's certainly not my style, but it's nice.” She hummed as she tossed her belongings onto the bed and removed her shoes. She then heard a beep and noticed the television turned on.   
  
                                             “ _The date of the fight has been settled! Fighting room on the 220_ _th_ _floor. March 6_ _th_ _12:00PM._ ”   
  
     “A fight already?! I swear I scared those vultures off!” She groaned and fell back on her bed. She was hoping to get a few days off, but apparently she would have to fight tomorrow. Of course she wasn't excited, but she was hoping it would be an easy fight. Maybe a newcomer had seen her and felt like it would be a fair fight. If it really was a newcomer, she knew the fight would be far too easy, which bummed her out even more. “If it's a tough opponent, I'm screwed. But if it's a weak opponent who doesn't even know what Nen is, then it won't be any fun! Why'd I have to get a fight this soon.” She whined as she flailed around a few times before relaxing. “Maybe it won't be so bad. I just hope it isn't someone like Hisoka...or else I'm screwed.” She sighed as she stared at the television a while longer.  
  
                    “I thought wrong...”   
  
     Jordyn stood at the other end of the ring, taking her usual Leopard Style stance before the match began. At the other end was a man, only a few inches taller than she was. He wore a very long, black priest's robe, the sleeves completely covered his hands and were trimmed with silver, around his waist was a hanging sash that also had a silver color to it with a golden 'Aum' symbol on the very end of it. The man himself had short, black hair that seemed to cover half his face, tanned skin, and tired, purple eyes. He did not look excited for this battle, but there was an intensity in his stare. It actually intimidated Jordyn without him even using Nen.  
  
     “ _To the left, a newcomer that enjoys the doubt of her audience, Jordyn! To the right, the quick yet humble monk, Nanashi! Nanashi has a lead of 4 Victories and only 1 Loss! I'm sure all of us are excited to see how this battle will turn out!_ ” The announcer yelled excitedly over the microphone.   
  
     “Nanashi?” Jordyn wasn't sure what to make of that name. It was certainly odd, but while she wanted to think or ask about it, she didn't have that time.   
     “No time limit, no restrictions, the first to reach 10 points or KO is the winner.” The referee announced before jumping back. “Begin!”  
  
     Jordyn was the first to move, dashing over to him as she aimed for his chest with one hand and prepared to grab at his throat with the other. However, as she neared him, he sent a pulse of his own aura at her, which made her stumble for a moment. It sounded like a bronze bell being rung and it shook her head quite a bit. But she pushed passed it and continued running at him. It was already too late, though, she had slowed down too much and it gave him time to retaliate against her. He side-stepped her as she drew closer, grabbed her outstretched arm then used the heel of his palm to hit her in the chest. She gasped from the hit, feeling like the wind was knocked out of her. He let her go and watched as she stumbled back and held her chest.  
  
     “Clean Hit! 1 point Nanashi!” The crowd cheered as the point tallied up. For once, Jordyn's fight hadn't ended in a minute and the opponent was finally able to fight back instead of being confused.  
  
     She wasn't all that happy with this, not only for getting the wind knocked out of her, but because she had seen that attack coming. She wasn't able to move out of the way in time and instead got herself caught. She took a deep breath to get her focus back before readying herself for another attack.  
     “You're not ready yet.” The man spoke somberly and quietly, but it was loud enough for her to hear. She didn't enjoy being underestimated, but part of her believed he was right. She shook her head and dashed towards him again, this time she planned on hitting his side first. He just watched her this time, not sending out another pulse to stumble her. She was already too slow to begin with, at least if he were to compare her to an actual Nen user. There was a lot of work she still needed to do, he wasn't even sure how she managed to get this far with just the basics.   
  
     “I told you, you aren't ready.” He side stepped her once more and raised his arm. She turned her head to look at him, knowing what was going on. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion and while she knew what she had to do, she couldn't raise her arm fast enough to block. The last thing she felt was a sharp pain on the back of her neck and the cold tiles pressed against her face.  
  
     “I'm up! It's not a KO!” Jordyn yelled as she sat up in her large bed with a start. She blinked and looked around, noticing she was back in her room rather than in the ring. She scowled before falling back onto her pillows. “Dammit...”   
     “Actually, it was a KO. I'm surprised, you're much slower than I expected.” She blinked as she heard a gentle, yet stern voice and looked over to her right, seeing the priest dipping a rag into some cold water. It took her a moment before she yelled and got out of her bed on the opposite side.  
  
     “What the hell are you doing in my room!? How did you even get in here!?”   
     “A kind gentlemen with silver hair allowed me to stay by your side and make sure you were well. I hit you a little harder than intended, I apologize.” He smiled at her kindly, though she still looked annoyed for some reason.  
     “Kastro...” She shook her head before sitting on the edge of her bed again. “And why did you decide to watch over me? So you can gloat about your victory when I wake up?” She looked at him with a contemptuous look on her face.  
     “Oh it's nothing like that, I assure you!” He raised his hands in defense, still smiling though could tell how distrusting she was just by staring at her. “I came here to help you. You're a quick fighter and you prefer to stay away from too much danger, which is good for normal fighting. But your Nen, while it has a lot of resolve behind it, seems to be more fragile than strong. This makes you an easy target for a lot of the fighters on this floor.”   
  
     She scowled as he pointed out what was wrong with her Nen before scoffing and looked away from him. “Thanks for that, but I really don't care for a stranger's advice.” He smiled at her regardless of her rude behavior.  
     “I can teach you the proper way to channel your aura. No cost at all, totally free. All you have to do is listen to me and follow my teachings.” She looked at him again, looking skeptical but a little interested. Kastro was always busy with fights, he had no time to teach her. And all she did was meditate and that didn't seem to get her anywhere. She didn't have anything to lose, especially not on the 200th floor. She sighed slightly after a moment before extending her hand.  
  
     “Fine, I accept the offer. I'm not happy about it, but I don't really have a teacher in the first place.” She shook his hand once he took hers before turning to face him. “By the way, your name is Nanashi, right?”  
     “Yes it is.” He seemed to know what she was going to say, but he let her go ahead anyway.  
     “What sort of person names their child 'no name'? It seems...weird.” She tilted her head as he chuckled.  
     “Tell me, Jordyn...have you ever been to Meteor City?” The confused look on her face was more than enough answer. “Meteor City is where trash of all kinds are dumped, even humans. It's a populated city, but the Government doesn't really acknowledge that, so in all actuality, it's like the city and it's inhabitants don't even exist. When I was a child, I decided to use that name because of this.” He explained, though seemed a little confused when she looked upset.  
  
     “I'm sorry, I didn't know.”   
     “Oh don't worry about it. I have no secrets to keep, not even with the people in this tower. And I certainly don't get angry with people who don't even know about another person or their lives. People make mistakes, people get angry, and that's fine. It's what makes them human.” He spoke fondly, though he could tell she didn't really understand how he could be so humble. She had never met someone like him before, it was strange.   
  
     “Now, Jordyn, stand up from the bed.” He instructed and she did as he asked. He nodded and stood up as well. “A natural form is more suited for meditation, standing just as you are now is one of these forms. Now, call upon Ten for me. We'll go through the three forms together so that I can gauge where you are and you can see what a real, healthy aura looks like.” She seemed to be fine with this and even nodded before shutting her eyes.   
  
     His tired eyes narrowed as he watched her form her Ten. For some reason, she had shaped her aura like a tear drop and while this was all fine and good, he couldn't help but notice how thin it was. “You don't seem to put a lot of aura around yourself. Is there a reason for this?”  
     “Huh? I thought Ten was always thin.” She looked at him in confusion, which made him sigh. Kastro really hadn't taught her the proper way of forming her Nen, which was worrying.  
     “Look at mine and see the difference.” He took a breath and shut his eyes as well as his aura formed around him. His aura took the shape of an Oval and it was much thicker than her aura was. He then formed it to fit around his body like a thin shield. “It looks thin, doesn't it?” She nodded as she watched him. He smiled at her and lifted his hand.            “The truth is, the aura I had formed is compacted into this shape. It's thin, but much stronger than it looks. Yours is a single layer and easy to punch through, most likely because you thought it would be good to learn through watching rather than being told.”   
  
     Jordyn looked at her own aura, noticing the difference now. She looked at him again, knowing that she needed his help more than anything. He noticed her being more welcome to the idea of him training her, which made him more happy.  
  
     “So you accept the training fully?” He had noticed a reluctance when she agreed before, so he wanted to make sure she was fully committed to this now.  
     “Yeah...I didn't realize I was doing everything wrong. It's a good thing I was fighting you instead.” It hurt her pride to say something like that, but she knew when she screwed up. She wasn't going to sit here and deny that she was actually doing something wrong.  
  
     “Very good! We'll be training during your three months, alright? That will give you enough time to learn all you need to learn. I can tell you're a quick learner, so you might not even need the full three months.” He hummed excitedly before resuming his stance. “Go ahead, we're going through Ren and Zetsu now.”  
     “Yes sir!”

 


	15. AxNewxChallenge

     The sound of steady breathing filled the room as Jordyn sat on her bed, practicing her Ren while Nanashi watched. He was right in saying she was a quick learner, she was already improving after just two days. Whatever her resolve was, it was enough for her to greatly improve herself in such a short amount of time. It was frightening in a way, yet almost inspiring. However, there was just one worrying thing he noticed about her aura.   
  
     There was a noticeable ripple in her aura, as opposed to a smooth and calm one. It resembled water that was constantly being disturbed. While it didn't seem to be affecting her at all, it did make him wonder just what she was meditating on. He knew that most preferred to have their minds clear, but there were a few that had a single thought they liked to concentrate on and she seemed to be one of those few. How else would she have shown this much improvement without having a set goal in mind?   
  
     “Jordyn, is it alright if I ask what you think about when you meditate?” He asked calmly after a moment. Normally he wouldn't disturb her, but the curiosity was getting to him, and he'd much prefer knowing what his student was thinking about so he can understand why she's doing all of this. Her aura shrunk down as she looked at him, hugging against her body to make it look like a simple outline.  
     “Why?”  
     “I'm just curious.” He smiled at her, though blinked as she shut her eyes again.  
     “It's none of your business.” She simply stated as her aura flowed out again into a larger teardrop shape like before. Well, he couldn't say he was surprised. Even when he had told her that any and all secrets between them would be kept that way, she still didn't feel like she trusted him enough to really confide in him. He didn't blame her, after all, he was still a stranger.   
     “It would help me figure out how to train you exactly how you need to be trained.” He tried to convince her that way, but this time she didn't even look at him.  
     “I told you, it's none of your business. Thank you for trying to help me, but it's not something I really want to tell you. Besides, I'm fine learning this way. It's a lot more relaxing.” She explained with a nod of her head, though he sighed.   
  
     While there was something to admire about her drive, there was also something equally frustrating about her reluctant behavior. That ripple in her aura wasn't normal, at least not to regular Nen Users. While yes, their Ten was usually calm and fluid, and their Ren were usually pulsing with energy, this ripple was rather unique to her aura alone. It was just a single ripple that went up and down her entire bubble, it was very strange.  
  


     “There's just something that's been concerning me. Your aura has a very noticeable ripple to it. Usually people's auras are calm and flat, so it's a little unusual to see. I'm just curious to know what you think about. I'm sure it'll explain why your aura does this.” He was hoping that would peak her curiosity a little bit. She looked at him this time with a sigh.  
     “I'm still not going to tell you, even if my aura does look weird. You know, for such a humble priest, you sure are curious.” She smiled a little at him, hoping that he wouldn't ask anymore.   
     “Well, I'm still human after all. Cats aren't the only ones that are curious.” He smiled back at her, though hummed in wonder. How would he get her to tell him?   
  
     In the past two days, he has noticed she's a bit of a go-getter and that drive of hers is impressive. If she set her mind to something, she always gets it done. But what if he threw something in as a way to motivate her a little? It may be risky, but it was worth a try.  
     “Jordyn, do you like challenges?” He asked after a moment. She looked at him again, seeming interested. He smiled as he caught her attention. “I have a little challenge for you. If you can't perfect Ten and Ren within the week, you have to tell me what's on your mind.”   
     “And if I win, you won't ask me about it anymore, right?” He nodded and crossed his heart to seal the promise. She smiled at him and nodded as well. “Then you're on! But just so you know, I've been developing quickly, just like you said. So you might lose this challenge.” She hummed triumphantly already before going back to her meditating.  
     “There is a thing called performance anxiety. I still have my own confidence in winning this.” He smiled at her before shutting his eyes to join her in meditation.  
  
     Nanashi's luck seemed to be much worse than her's. With each day that passed, he could tell that she was improving all on her own without any advice other than what he gave her when they first met. Not to mention, he was sure she had absolutely no intention of telling him what was on her mind, so that only drove her more to making sure she won this challenge. Maybe he should have made the challenge a little more subtle...or he could have made the prize something completely different so she wouldn't be so determined. By the time the week ended, he already knew the outcome of this competition. But his face didn't show any sign of it.  
  


     “Alright, now that the week is over, I expect you to have perfected Ten and Ren.” He looked at her as she stood across from him with a confident look on her face. “Show me Ten.” He commanded and she did. Her Ten was still in the shape of a tear drop, but it looks sturdier and more bulky than before, the aura didn't leap or even shudder, it stayed in place like it should and didn't waver. “Very good.” He nodded with a smile on his face. “Now Ren.” She began building up her aura again, just like he had shown her, but there was still that ripple. It was much more frequent now and seemed to create more ripples in her aura. It really looked like she was surrounded by water, but in all reality, she wasn't.   
     “Do you do that on purpose? I mean the ripple in your aura.” He asked finally, wondering if she was just wanting to weird him out or something.  
     “Hm? Oh...No, not at all. It's just kinda there.” She hummed as she watched her aura ripple in different places. It never seemed to affect her aura nor did it make her sleepy. It was just a trait of hers and he couldn't help but wonder if it was just the environment she grew up in that made her aura ripple like this. Perhaps it was just that distant memory that she was clinging to to make her feel more at home. But that didn't give him a proper answer.   
  
     “You pass the challenge. Your Ten is fine and considering the amount of time you've been keeping your Ren up without even breaking a sweat and how strong it looks, it's safe to say you've passed this challenge.” He sighed but smiled at her. She looked ready to celebrate but before she did, he spoke again. “I have a new challenge for you, however.”  
     “But you promised!”  
     “I promised I wouldn't personally ask, I never said I wouldn't challenge you again. Now, the new challenge is going to be much more difficult for you. It's been a while since you've learned Nen and yet you still have no idea what to make for your Hatsu. So, I'm giving you a time period of just one month to finally come up with your ability. Think hard and try to stay within your Nen type instead of straying to Emission or even attempting Specialization.” He couldn't help but smirk at the nervous look on her face. He surely had this Challenge won already.   
     “Y-Yes sir!” How was she going to outsmart him on this one?

 


	16. Marionette

     “Now I'm really on a time crunch...How the heck am I supposed to think of something before the month is up? I couldn't even come up with it in the month I was here.” Jordyn muttered to herself as she ruffled her hair. The time period was already half way gone, she didn't have all the time in the world to contemplate this. She sighed as she sat down in one of a cafe's outside seats, crossing her leg over the other as she hummed to herself. “Alright, Jo, don't over think this...You're a Manipulator, you can control things and people...Well, maybe not people, that's just a little messed up.” She nodded to herself as she leaned back in her chair. “Think think think...Alright, let's look at our previous battles.” She snapped her fingers as she remembered.  
  
     She was always training with Kastro, ever since she was little, so of course she would have problems with him. Then there was the stray Mafioso here and there that she would fight, but they always had some sort of firearm on them, so again, that wasn't really her problem. Regular people never put up a fight, so she didn't have to think of them too much. Now, during the Hunter's Exam, she could only stop, think, and wait for her prey to lower their guard or feel like they had the upper hand. While she was able to outsmart the prisoner, she was too afraid to fight Agon. Then there was Illumi, who she was very hesitant to fight, not that she had to worry too much since he forfeit. Through more training, she learned not to be afraid of larger opponents or ones with weapons. As long as she was quicker, she would have the upper hand. However, that also seemed to be a problem.  
     She was new to Nen and she didn't know how to work around Nen users very well, not even ones that fought hand-to-hand, like Kastro or even Hisoka. During her match with Nanashi, she noticed she was very hesitant to fight him and slow to block his attacks. If he hadn't sent out that pulse of aura, she would have been able to keep her courage and keep going at the same speed.  
  
     “That's it! I need to let my subconscious do the thinking! I'm too hesitant at times, especially with an opponent I don't know anything about.” She smiled as she tried to think more about it. “There's no rule saying Manipulators can't control themselves. But I do need to control my eye movement and speech...so everything from the neck and below needs to be controlled.” She stood up from her seat and took a breath. She could think of herself as a puppet with strings. But she had to make sure everything was concealed so her opponents wouldn't get an idea of what was going on. “In...that's the only way to keep everything hidden.” She had only started learning Gyo and In from Nanashi, but considering she was already good with Zetsu, she was sure that she could learn In quickly. She took a breath as she started to concentrate, though noticed how hard that was when there wasn't a single point to focus everything on. She may be a Manipulator, but that didn't mean things were easy to learn. It took work and a lot of concentration.   
  
     Magenta colored strings appeared from her neck, wrapping it's way down along her body, weaving in and out of her joints and muscles. She had no worries of trying this out in public, after all no normal person could see what was going on. As the strings finished wrapping their way around her body, Jordyn noticed it was much more strenuous to keep the focus point on her mind without some sort of medium. She was sweating, but she knew she wouldn't give out right away on the technique. “I probably have an hour tops like this...no real time to get too into a fight.” She hummed to herself before testing out the technique. Just thinking about raising her arm made her right arm raise without hesitation. She thought about taking a few steps back, and she did. She lifted her leg, demonstrating a hook kick with ease. She smiled and nodded. “Good good! Just what I wanted!” She said happily as she placed her foot back on the ground then started again with her other leg, moving much quicker this time. She laughed as she threw punches and moved her body almost as if every muscle and tendon in her body were fluid. The more she did this, the less she noticed the strain on her focus point. While that was good, it wasn't good for a start-up. She would have a slow start in battles, which was never a good thing.   
  
     Before she even noticed, people had gathered around to watch the young woman demonstrate her abilities. A lot of the people didn't have the money to watch the matches in Heavens Arena, so this was like a free show for them, except with no opponent. She finished with a spin kick and only then did she notice the crowd. She blinked and looked around at everyone as they started clapping while the children looked on with admiration in their eyes. She blushed a little and scratched her head as she bowed to them.   
  
     “Papa, I wanna be like him when I'm older!”  
          “Me too, me too!”   
  
     The children tugged at their parents' clothing as they pointed to her. She couldn't get mad at them, they were just kids and they were genuinely happy about seeing something like this. Their parents chuckled as she knelt down to their height. “You can become just like me with a lot of training and hard work! Chores are always the best way to get your muscles developing. Ah-ah and no pouting. Warriors don't pout!” She advised them as she puffed out her chest. The children were a little unhappy to hear they needed to do their chores, but they smiled anyway. If it meant they could become strong and swift like her, then it couldn't be all that bad. “And make sure to eat your veggies. Those'll make you even more strong.” She flexed her arms proudly, showing her muscles in more detail. They looked at her with even more admiration before grinning. She smiled and waved as their parents pulled them along to continue on with their days.  
  
     As she sat down, she released her Nen, only to flinch as she noticed her whole body felt numb. She shivered and gasped as she looked at her limbs. It felt like her entire body was being pricked with pins and needles, it felt so weird and it knocked the wind out of her on it's own. That must have been the condition her body set on it's own. She wouldn't feel a thing during her controlling herself, but as soon as she released herself, her entire body would be numb and limp. “Alright...there are two things I need to be careful of now...” She spoke to herself as she let her body regain feeling.  
  
     She needed to be careful when she released herself as well as the fact she needed to find a focus point to make her slow-start disappear. She thought of that while she was regaining feeling and movement in her body. It wasn't hard to think of something, considering she already knew a Manipulator. “Illumi...he uses needles as his focus point. If I can have just one that's concealed...in a more ideal location then everything would be fine. Somewhere that's almost like an epicenter to the body...” She hummed to herself as she started to move her fingers again. She blinked a few times before sticking out her tongue. She started to sweat at the mere thought of this. “Well...it would be concealed...and the tongue is connected to major blood vessels which would gain easy access to the joints and limbs...” She couldn't believe she was trying to convince herself of this. But there wasn't much other way.  
  
     Jordyn was actually pretty terrified of needles as well as getting anything on her body pierced. Tongue piercings, nipple piercings, belly button piercings...it all freaked her out. Just thinking about some inanimate object piercing through her skin made a shiver go up her spine. Maybe that was the reason why she did not like 'Gittarakur' very much. A shiver went up her spine as she thought about a needle being pushed into her tongue. It seemed to cause her body to wake up much quicker. “I don't have a choice...I think I really need to get one if I want to control this better.” She sighed to herself before standing up from her chair. Her legs were still a little weak, but she concealed that feeling pretty well. She looked absolutely terrified as she walked herself to a Tattoo & Piercing parlor to get this done and over with.  
  
     One painful and terrified scream later, Jordyn was on her way back to Heavens Arena. She stuck her tongue out most of the way home, feeling sore and like her tongue had swelled up a few inches. The piercing itself was a simple silver rod with purple jewels keeping the piercing in place. Her tongue wasn't too swollen, which even surprised the piercer. But maybe that was just her Nen keeping her tongue from swelling too much to keep it from being too much of a bother to her. “The one good thing is is that I can eat lots of ice cream to make me feel better.” She smiled to herself, though grimaced as she noticed a very noticeable lisp in her speech. “This is going to take some getting used to...” She sighed to herself. Not only did she have to eat soft foods and rinse her mouth far too many times during the day now, but she had to get used to having a barbel in her mouth. At least the jewels were fun to feel around with her tongue. She might just be rolling her tongue just for fun now.   
  
     Upon returning, she decided to go right to her room to start training herself. Nanashi had actually been kind enough to leave her for the time being so she could concentrate on the challenge rather than have him breathing down her neck the entire time. While she would like to wait for her tongue to stop swelling and for it to stop being sore, she knew she couldn't slack off in her training. She now had a focus point and she needed to get used to using this new ability so it would be like a reflex rather than something she needed to concentrate on for it to work. That and she would like to name it as well before the challenge came to a close. Learning the limitations and conditions of this ability was also a good plan considering she had been caught off guard by the effects when she stops using it. If she could learn everything about it before going into a real battle, she'd be at a better advantage, of course.  
  
     Weeks later, the challenge comes to a close. Jordyn and Nanashi stand in her room, both of them looking confident in their chances of winning this. Her tongue swelling had gone down thankfully and the lisp wasn't as noticeable now. It was still there, but much more concealed.   
  
     “Do you have something to show me, Jordyn?” He asked as he kept his hands behind his back. She smiled and nodded. He smiled back at her and gestured for her to go ahead and demonstrate. She took a breath before placing her right foot in front of her left, touching her heel to her toe, then extended her arms slightly from her sides like she was taunting her opponent to charge her. The strings of Nen wrapped around her body, piercing into her joints and wrapping around her limbs which caused her body to twitch and shudder, almost like a puppeteer was shaking the strings. She didn't feel the need to conceal the strings with In since she was only demonstrating. He hummed, intrigued by the look of this technique, even if it were only a few strings of magenta Nen wrapping around her body. “And what does this ability do?”  
  
     “It increases my agility and speed as well as fixes my reluctance to attack opponents I've never encountered. All of my movements are controlled by the subconscious, that way my conscious mind doesn't allow me to feel fear or hesitation while I'm fighting.” She explained as she moved her arms and legs in circular motions like a puppet.   
     “That makes sense...you were very hesitant in our battle, you slowed down significantly when I was just posturing.” He hummed, though couldn't help but worry a little. If she had no fears while battling, it could get her in a lot of trouble. He didn't like that idea, but it would help her immensely if she didn't want to run every time someone postured themselves. “And do you have a name for this technique?”   
     “Living Marionette.”  
     “...I'm sure you'll get better with names as you come up with more abilities.” He teased which got a pout out of her. “I'm just kidding.” He chuckled before sighing. “Though, I have to admit, you came up with a good ability for yourself. It's actually common for Manipulators to control themselves to improve their bodies and abilities, but you seem to need it considering that hesitation of yours. While I don't like admitting it, you've won this challenge. I won't ask you about your meditation anymore.” He bowed to her as he admitted she won, which got her grinning. She bowed back to him to show respect. She didn't release her ability, though. She didn't want him to see the one drawback it had, that would probably sway his judgment, which she really didn't want.  
  
     Before she could thank him for the challenge, there was a knock on her door. She blinked and walked over, answering it without even looking out the peep hole. Kastro stood behind the door with a large grin on his face.   
  
     “Kastro!”  
     “Jordyn!” He let himself in, not even noticing Nanashi or the Nen strings around her body at first. “How have you been? We haven't talked in a while!” He asked, as he turned to look at her again, finally noticing the strings around her body. “And...you've developed an ability finally?”   
     “Yup! It's called Living Marionette. I just wish my Hatsu was a different color...I hate magenta...” He chuckled and patted her head as she pouted, showing just how proud he was of her.   
     “I'm proud of you! Did he help you?” He asked as he nodded over to Nanashi.  
     “Oh no, she developed that all on her own. I'm quite proud of her myself.” The man smiled at the other. Kastro looked back at her, surprised at first before smiling so proudly. She was growing up and coming up with her own abilities, she didn't need help from anyone. Well, aside from learning how to properly channel her Aura, but everyone needed help with that when they were first starting out.   
  
     Jordyn blinked in surprise as Kastro gave her a tight, loving hug. She hadn't felt this kind of hug in so long, it was almost foreign to her. But either way, she couldn't help but smile softly and return the hug just as tightly.   
     “I'm so proud of you. Before you know it, you'll have many more abilities to fight with and defend yourself with. If you could come up with this all on your own, then I know I won't have to worry when you finally leave this place.” He spoke quietly into her hair, though she couldn't help but look at him a little confused. He smiled at her, looking almost sad. “Come on, don't look so surprised. You became a Hunter! Hunter's are always on the hunt for something. Just looking at you, I know you have something you're searching for. Something you want above all else...and it's certainly not here. I've known you since you were little, you can't hide anything from me.” He ruffled her hair a bit, which got a laugh out of her. Granted, he couldn't tell exactly what she wanted or what was bothering her, he always knew there was something going on in that clever head of hers.   
     “It's scary how you can read me so well. But I should expect it by now...huh?” She smiled at him as she tilted her head.  
     “Yup.” He chuckled again before letting her go.  
  
     “Now, since I know you'll most likely be parting from Heavens Arena soon, I decided to give you a proper send off.” He dug into his pocket for something. “Remember when I said Hisoka and I already figured out our rematch date? Well, it's coming up soon, and by soon, I mean tonight. I wish I could have fought you instead, but I've been planning this for a while. It's better than nothing, right?” He smiled as he handed her a ticket to his fight. She took it, though wasn't sure what to say about this. Nanashi looked at the two and while he was happy about the sentiments, he didn't seem too happy about the 'send off' he was giving her.   
     “You...managed to get me a ticket?”   
     “Of course! It's my own match, why wouldn't I be able to get a ticket?” He laughed and patted her shoulder. “Maybe after I win, you'll feel obligated to stay a little longer to challenge me as a Floor Master. That would be fun, right?” He hummed with a wide smile on his face.   
     “Are you kidding? I doubt I can even get five wins!” She joked and laughed, trying to mask her worry. He pinched her cheeks, getting her to whine a little bit.   
     “Oh stop, you don't give yourself enough credit!” He let go of her cheeks, chuckling as she tried to rub away the soreness. “Well, I have to go get ready. I'll see you later, okay?” He gave her one last hug before waving goodbye and shut the door on his way out.  
     “See you later...”

 


	17. Loss

     Jordyn stared at the ticket, not entirely sure what she was feeling. She was excited, but she couldn't change this fear that something awful was going to happen. She kept trying to push those feelings of doubt and fear aside and try to be positive. They were still there, even as she smiled to lighten her own mood, but she didn't say anything about it. She didn't chase after Kastro to convince him to skip the match, she decided she was going to cheer him on the entire way.  
  
     “I don't want you watching that match.” Nanashi spoke up, noticing the look in her eye. She looked up at him, not sure if she heard him right. He looked at her sternly, trying to get her to think twice about trying to view the match. When she realized he was being serious, she placed the ticket in her obi.  
     “I'm watching that match, Nanashi, there's nothing you can say to convince me otherwise.” She stated firmly as she crossed her arms over her chest.  
     “It's not a good idea for you to watch that match! Just believe me on this, it will not be good for you!” That ripple in her aura told him she wasn't ready to watch something like this. She wasn't ready to watch her friend die. She already had that inkling of a doubt about this, why wasn't she listening to her instinct this one time?  
  
     “He's the only family I got left, I'm not going to just ditch his match for training! Even if the whole stadium was against him, I'd still cheer for him to boost his morale. Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same for your own family!” She stomped her foot as she yelled at him before storming out of the room, slamming the door behind her. He outstretched his hand, trying to tell her to get back inside her room, but it was already too late. He sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. Of all the Manipulators...he had to get the most argumentative one.  
  
     “I can't believe him...wanting me to ditch Kastro's match. I can't just do that! He's been there for me, I should be able to do the same for him.” She nodded to herself as she found a wall to lean against while she stopped _Living Marionette_. Her body shuddered again as she slid down the wall and just sat there, looking like a lifeless doll. She sighed to herself, still able to remember when she had first met Kastro. It was a few months after she lost her father, yet she was still able to attend Heavens Arena matches.  
  
_A short, short haired girl cheered from her seat as she watched the silver haired warrior down another opponent with ease. She was the only child in the stands, and while it was odd, no one seemed to mind very much. She even stayed behind as the match was called and the other audience members left. She hummed so excitedly before turning and heading out of the stadium.  
  
     She walked a few feet down the hall with a huge grin on her face, however, as she turned her head to her left, that grin disappeared and she stopped walking. It looked like she had expected someone to be there, but it was only one of the many potted plants in the building. Her lip quivered slightly as her eyes welled up with tears. She hadn't meant to, but she started crying. She covered her mouth with her bright yellow t-shirt, trying to muffle her sobbing the best she could.  
  
     “What's this? Why are you crying?” A familiar voice asked, getting the girl to look up at him. She sniffled a little, seeing the bandaged winner of the fight looking down at her with soft eyes. She hicced a few times before looking down at her legs again. “You were the child watching the fight, right? You looked so happy during the match, you couldn't stop cheering for me.” He chuckled before kneeling down to her height. He had wondered what happened. She was the only one that was excited for the matches she attended, and yet she was crying all alone. He looked around, trying to see if her parents were anywhere nearby.  
     “P-Papa used to take me to a lot of fights here...we would have so much fun and he would get me to cheer as loudly as I could but...T-They took him away and now...now I come alone.” She answered him and began sobbing again. “I thought he was going to be right next to me, but he wasn't.” The man's gaze turned to surprise, then to sadness.  
  
     “Shh...it's alright.” He lifted her up and held her close to his chest. She clung onto him and cried her little eyes out, feeling surprisingly comforted by the man. He was so soft spoken and tried his best to calm her down. It was much more than what anyone else did for her when she broke down. “You know, you're pretty brave! Even with your papa gone, you still manage to come here and do things he loved to do with you. Any other kid would be too afraid to go anywhere without their parents.” He praised as he looked down at her.  
     “You really think so?” She wiped her eyes and sniffled as she looked up at him.  
     “Of course I do.” She smiled at him as she wiped the rest of her tears away. He returned the smile before looking around again. “Do you have a place to stay? The room is small, but...if you're an orphan, you can always stay with me. You'll get free meals and I'll even train you!” He grinned at her with a chuckle.  
     “Oh, no I have a farm! That's where I stay. But thank you.” She grinned right back at him. “I'm Jordyn by the way. Your name is Kastro, right?”  
     “A farm?” He wondered if she was from the Phirun region. He didn't think on it too long, since she introduced herself. “You got it, my name is Kastro. It's very nice to meet you, Jordyn.”  
  
_      Jordyn smiled softly as she remembered that day. Since then, and until recently, he had been the one training her on how to fight. He made her feel like she still had a family left. He was her light.  
  
     She stood up again, having a bit of feeling return to her legs and arms. She still had to lean against the wall a good few feet down the hall, but she makes it regardless. As she makes her way down the hall, finally able to walk on her own without the need to lean on the wall, she couldn't help but notice a white haired kid walking down the same hall. She smirks and walked up to him, planning to surprise him right away. However, before she can even grab his sides, he turns to look at her. She blinked in surprise, staring down at the blue eyed boy.  
  
     “Jordyn? What are you doing?”  
     “I could ask you that. I take it you're learning Nen?” She smiled at him. There couldn't have been another way for him to notice she was trying to sneak up on him again.  
     “Yup! Well, actually, my teacher is having me take a break for now. So I'm not practicing it. I know the basics, though.” He put his hands behind his head as the two walked down the hall. “Are you learning it?”  
     “Mhm! I got all the basics down and even made a Hatsu ability.” She hummed happily as she pumped her fist. He was a little surprised to hear she was that far ahead, then again, she must not have been an idiot and gotten herself in trouble with her teacher. Of course she would be able to develop quicker. “By the way, where is Gon? I thought he'd be wandering around with you?”  
     “Gon's in his room meditating. I'm heading to the Hisoka fight right now. He would be here, but the idiot got himself in trouble and can't learn Nen, he can't even watch it. I bought two tickets, too...it was such a waste of money!” He complained and ruffled his hair.  
     “Did you try scalping the extra ticket?” She asked, which earned herself a blank look from the boy.  
     “Dammit!” He yelled again, which got her to laugh.  
  
     “I'm heading to the Kastro vs. Hisoka fight myself. But really, I'm not too surprised Gon got himself in trouble. What'd he do?” Killua sighed as she asked.  
     “He went into a fight without knowing any of the other basics of Nen. We only knew Ten at the time, so yeah.”  
     “That...really doesn't surprise me. What did he get broken?”  
     “His arm.”  
     “Figured.” The two sighed but soon smiled again. The boy was a handful, but they wouldn't change a single thing about him, even if they could. While Killua knew he was all better, Jordyn was certain he would heal himself up quickly. The boy already seemed inhuman thanks to what she saw during the Hunter's Exam, so she had all the confidence in the world for him.  
  
     The two arrived in the stadium soon after, deciding to sit together and watch the match. They were in the mid section where they could see everything and hear most of what the fighters might be saying. Jordyn held her hands and bounced her foot excitedly as everything was being set up for the match. Just by looking at her, Killua could tell she was both nervous and excited. It was completely different from when he last saw her.  
     “Have you seen one of Hisoka's fights before?” He asked, wondering if that's why she was reacting like this.  
     “Hm? Oh yeah, when I was younger my father would take me to a few. I'm still surprised he was able to get tickets to his matches!” She chuckled, trying to relax herself a little so he didn't worry.  
     “So you know how many of them end, right?” Her foot stopped bouncing and her hands held tighter onto one another as she thought of it.  
     “...Yeah...I do. But I have all the confidence in the world that Kastro will get through this! He's survived before, he can survive again!” She smiled confidently, though Killua could tell his questions had made her terrified to see the outcome of this battle. He didn't say any more about it since he didn't want to scare her further. He just looked at the arena once the announcer started yelling again.  
  
     “ _The battle between Hisoka and Kastro can finally begin!_ ” The woman yelled as the two combatants entered the ring. Jordyn stood up from her seat and started to cheer for Kastro. It wasn't an odd sight, a lot of the audience was cheering on for their preferred fighter as well. Killua wasn't sure if he was surprised by her excitement, but it did make him feel a little better from scaring her earlier, though, so he wasn't going to complain or be embarrassed over it. “ _This match has been long awaited by many! After Kastro's defeat two years ago, has he really grown stronger? We'll finally be able to see who can out-do who tonight!_ ” The audience cheered once again as the announcer hyped everyone up.  
  
     Down below, the referee went over the rules. It was the same as every other battle: No time limit, no restrictions, the first to ten points or the first to KO the other wins. He jumped back quickly after announcing the beginning of the battle. Kastro is the first to charge towards Hisoka, looking confident in himself, even though his face is calm and neutral.  
  
     “Let's go!” He raised his fist to land a blow, but Hisoka moved out of the way in anticipation. However, another Kastro seemed to appear behind the man catching both him and the audience off guard. He gave him one good hit to the face, then retreated back to his starting point. The room was silent for a moment, before erupting in cheers again.  
  
     “ _Kastro lands a Clean Hit! What an amazing turn!_ ”  
  
     The silver haired warrior looked at the magician with a calm, yet fearsome expression. “It's time you took me seriously, Hisoka.”  


     Jordyn and Killua were confused by Kastro's movements. At times, they were certain that Hisoka had dodged, but he would just get hit. Even when they were far away and could see the entire arena, it still didn't make sense to them. Just what was going on? Well, Jordyn didn't seem to mind too much. She was standing and cheering for him regardless of what he was doing.  
     “Go for the gold, Kastro!! Eye of the Tiger!!” She yelled as she pumped her fist in the air.  
  
_“You'll get it soon, I believe in you! Remember, Jordyn: Eye of the Tiger!”  
  
_      Kastro charged at Hisoka again, using a Nen charged swipe of his hand this time. The magician dodged the swipe with ease, but looked surprised as another fist connected with his cheek, ripping his skin and pushing him back. Hisoka caught himself and prepared for another onslaught, but again was caught off guard by Kastro's trick, and was knocked back by a swift kick to his jaw. The magician landed face down on the hard concrete of the fighting ring as the referee announced the points.  
     “Clean hit and a down!”  
  
     “ _Another sequence of horrifying hits, it's amazing! Kastro leads 4-0! Were my eyes deceiving me, though?_ ” Even the announcer didn't understand what was going on, but the excitement in her voice never went away. Kastro took on another attacking stance, his yellow cape flowing behind him gracefully.  
     “Well, are you going to continue on like this? Or are you going to die without understanding a thing?” He asked as he narrowed his eyes. Jordyn didn't understand why he was saying something like that. Usually people would prefer their techniques to be hidden so that their opponent would never figure it out, they'd die knowing absolutely nothing. At least, that's how she would prefer to fight her opponents. Was he getting too cocky? Now of all times?  
  
     Hisoka stood up again after the referee checked on him. The smug smirk still on his face, he dusted himself off. “My eyes weren't deceiving me...I thought you disappeared ♣ _._ ” His face was bloodied from the injuries, yet he still held his head high.  
     “ _That's true! We all saw him disappear!_ ”  
     “No...it's more like you were right in front of me, preparing that kick. But then you were behind me. That would be more accurate...though, it still doesn't seem right ♦.” He seemed to be having a hard time fully understanding what this ability was, and Kastro was getting frustrated over the confusion.  
     “You still don't understand. If you don't understand at this point, there's no point in me waiting anymore. With this next strike...I'll take your arm.” Kastro held his hands in front of him as a green aura surrounded them. He held them in such a way, they looked like claws. It would intimidate anyone, even people who had no idea what martial arts were.  
  
     “He's gonna use the Tiger Bite Fist!”  
          “Kastro's the first to get really serious in this match!” The audience cheered, though while Jordyn looked excited, Killua seemed frustrated over something.  
     “You'll get to see what real martial arts are like. I'm nothing compared to him.” She spoke excitedly as she watched. The boy looked up at her, realizing she must have learned from him. She used Leopard style as her base attack set, and he used Tiger style, it made sense. But he couldn't help but wonder if it was enough. Then again, Hisoka hadn't even began attacking yet, he didn't even understand Kastro's ability! Well, to be fair, neither of them did either. But if he didn't start getting serious, Hisoka could very well die in this match.  
  
     Kastro charged the other again, preparing to end the match here and now. That is, until Hisoka willingly held his arm up for him.  
     “Go ahead, I'll give it to you♥.” He smirked at him, which seemed to anger Kastro more.  
     “A trap or provocation...whichever it is, I'll still take it!” He began closing his hands in around the extended arm, however, Kastro appeared behind Hisoka once more and instead took his left arm. With one swift movement, the arm was torn off and sent flying above the arena. This seemed to surprise Hisoka, regardless of the cocky look that remained in his eyes.  
  
     Jordyn looked at the two, wondering why Hisoka wasn't reacting badly to what just happened. His arm was just torn off, he should be furious. “That was a bad move...” She whispered to herself, seeming to understand what was going on almost immediately. He was beginning to figure everything out and most likely making his own plan. She knew he should be barraging him at this point, not giving him a chance to think about the next move or have the chance to set up traps. She didn't understand why Kastro wasn't doing any of that. Killua looked up at her in confusion before continuing to watch the match.  
  
     “If you think for a second that I'll follow along with your plans, you're sorely mistaken.” Kastro glared at the man. Hisoka just looked back at him with a smirk.  
     “You don't seem to understand...that was apart of my plan as well♦.” This only seemed to anger the warrior further.  
     “That's enough!” He landed another hit to Hisoka, sending him back again. The magician corrected himself quickly, standing up in time to catch his severed arm. He chuckled and began tossing the limb up, then caught it as it came down.  
     “I see, I see. The secret to your strength...lies in your double, doesn't it♥?”  
     “Don't tell him...”  
     Kastro smirked, happy to hear he finally understood. “Congratulations, you finally figured it out.”  
  
     The audience, even Killua, seemed surprised by this. However, Jordyn was beginning to sweat bullets. He shouldn't give away his technique so quickly like this, he had so many opportunities to lie and keep it a secret! Why was he just willingly telling him all of this? It didn't make sense to her and she knew it wasn't a good idea. So why? Kastro demonstrated his ability for the crowd as well as Hisoka, which sent the audience and even the announcer into a roar of shock. She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.  
     “Why is he being so open with it? He needs to hide it.” She spoke to herself quietly, not like anyone would be able to hear her over the confused grunts and shocked yelling from the announcer. She held her stomach, beginning to feel a little sick from all of this. But she didn't run off, she stayed in her spot and continued to watch.  
  
_“Kastro, what should I do if things start to go wrong?” The girl asked as she did her routine push-ups for the day.  
     “What do you mean?”  
     “If either of us are in a fight and something goes wrong, what should we do? I don't just wanna stand by while you get beat up.”  
     The man chuckled and rested his chin in his hand. “You'll never have to worry about that. Even if things look grim, there will always be a way out and there's always going to be a tomorrow. You grit your teeth through your loss, and you keep cheering me on if I ever lose. You'll always be there for me, I believe that without a doubt, and I'll always be there for you.” He explained fondly. “And don't think it's not okay to cry over a loss. Sometimes I scream after I lose, and sometimes I punch a pillow. But the thought of your little grin and your little laugh always makes things better.” He chuckled as she blushed.  
     “And if I ever feel upset with how a fight is going, I'll always think of your smile and you saying '_ There's always a tomorrow _' that should cheer me up, right?” She smiled right back at him and giggled as he blushed as well._  
  
     Hisoka understood the ability now and with the new found knowledge, the air of confidence around him increased. Even so, Kastro never once flinched at this or thought he should be more careful. He took another fighting stance, this time with his doppelganger next to him. His hands were still glowing green as he proudly spoke.  
     “It's all thanks to Nen that I was able to achieve this feat! I send my double to attack while I sneak to the blind spot. While you're distracted, I have the perfect opportunity to attack.” He explained, making most of the audience, as well as Hisoka, understand his plan. “Of course, my double isn't just some illusion. The second me is very much real until I dismiss it. So instead of just one opponent, you'll have two! You'll get to see what Nen has helped me create: The True Tiger Bite Fist!” He yelled as his aura flowed around him, causing his cape to flutter as the audience hummed in intrigue.  


     “True Tiger Bite fist?” Killua looked up at Jordyn, who just sighed a bit.  
     “He's...not that great with names.” She smiled a little bit at him before looking back down at the arena. She frowned, however, not entirely understanding why he chose such a technique in the first place. She would have guessed he was either a Conjurer or even an Emitter if she didn't know any better, but he was an Enhancer. To create a double like that would mean he would have had to delve into either one of the two aforementioned categories. He wouldn't have too much troubles if he just kept with Emission, but if it was Conjuration, he'd most likely need to use Manipulation as well to control his double freely. The more she thought of his technique, the more she realized he had tried to balance out his skills rather than focus on what was truly important, which was Enhancement, Transmutation, and Emission. Why would he go for such a difficult set for himself? She didn't understand it.  
  
     “I'm going to take your right arm this time...will you still act disinterested?” Kastro threatened, going back to his calm expression. Hisoka hummed as a smirk adorned his face.  
     “Perhaps...I'll get a little more motivated this time around ♦.” He bit onto his severed arms flesh, chewing in anticipation. It left most of the audience disgusted, yet Kastro seemed pleased by his answer.  
  
     Hisoka tore off a piece of flesh from the arm in his excitement, disgusting the audience further, then held the severed arm under his intact arm while he pulled out a scarf. Hiding the limb inside the fabric, he looked to his opponent with a bit of curiosity. “Shall I demonstrate my powers over clairvoyance?” He suddenly tossed the cloth up into the air, however, the limb was nowhere to be seen. Only playing cards fell to the ground, confusing both Kastro and the audience. “Pick any of the cards you see here.” He instructed first. “Once you have the number in mind, add 4 to it, then multiply by 2. Subtract the new number by 6, then divide it by 2. Once you have that, subtract it from the initial number. What's your answer ♣?” He held up a single finger as the smile on his face grew wider. “There's no need to say it out loud, I already know the answer. It's...” He thrust his hand into his wound, causing blood to drip quicker from his arm. He pulled out a card and showed it to the audience. “1, isn't it ♠?” The audience made a collective gasp, even if the math problem would have wound up as 1 with any number, it still shocked all of them. But why would he go so far for such a simple trick?  
  
     “Here, a souvenir ♦.” Hisoka threw the Ace at Kastro, who simply swatted it out of the air. Jordyn narrowed her eyes before scanning the arena to see what was going on. Hisoka was tricky, he wouldn't just do something without it having some significance to it, or would give him an advantage. Even when killing mindlessly, he still had some tact to his madness. While Killua looked frustrated, her eyes widened as she seemed to figure things out.  
  
_“Teach me how you did that!” The short girl demanded after having seen the magic trick. The red haired man smirked, showing her the cards once more.  
     “There's no trick here. You just need to pay attention to the bigger picture ♥.”  
     “...You're really weird, you know that?”  
  
_      “Gyo...Kastro, use Gyo...” She muttered to herself as she focused her aura to her eyes. She didn't yell out what she realized, she knew how much Kastro would hate the help. But she was hoping that maybe he would have enough sense to not take this trick at face value. There was a bigger picture to look at and from afar, even the audience could figure it out if they weren't so shocked about the math problem. The boy looked at her again, not understanding what her mutterings were about. Whatever it was, it mustn't have been good. Her face was getting paler and he could see she wasn't looking so optimistic anymore. It was like she was a completely different person.  
  
     “You...I'll make sure you won't be mocking anyone like this again. Take his right arm!” Kastro ordered, sending his double to attack him. But again, Hisoka just extended his arm, wanting him to take it instead of trying to protect himself. There was a method to his madness, yet Kastro never seemed to understand what it was.  
     “I already told you, I'm giving it to you ♥.” Of course, this frustrated his opponent even more. The doppelganger tore the arm off with one swift movement. Despite having known it was going to happen, Hisoka's face still looked pained over having his limb torn off. As the doppelganger disappeared, there was even more shock to be had.  
  
     “It really was the double that attacked me...I was planning on countering with my left ♠.” Hisoka showed off the now intact arm that had been severed just moments before. It didn't even look like it had been cut at all, it shocked everyone. Even Jordyn couldn't see the trick behind this, there was no Nen that she could see on his now healed arm. She gritted her teeth, not sure what to make of this. She had been sure that her worry was misplaced, but now...now she was sure that she was just trying to convince herself things would be okay.  
  
     “Jordyn...Hey.” Killua tapped her arm, but she didn't seem to respond to him. “Why don't we go for a walk? It's getting kind of boring.” He lied, but hoped she would respond to him. She didn't look well, he could tell this wasn't something she should be watching. He didn't know much, but Kastro must be important to her. Even so, she shouldn't watch things deteriorate like this, even if he was able to come out alive by the end. She may have seemed strong and positive during the Exam, but in all reality, she had probably never once seen a friend die. She didn't know what to do, the powerless look in her eyes was enough to make him understand what she was feeling inside. She didn't response to him, however. She continued to watch the battle's conclusion unfold in front of her, even if she desperately wanted to look away.  
  
     “This is another magic trick. Can you guess the secret behind it ♦?” Hisoka smirked, using the same tactic Kastro had used at the beginning of their battle. He took a step towards him, watching him immediately go into an attack stance. “What's this? Are you frightened. Is it because you don't understand the trick ♣?” He asked as Kastro began to sweat. “This is what magic is. While your ability to create a double is fascinating, it's not so frightening or mysterious anymore since I understand how it works. I can anticipate your every move now and I can devise a counter before you even flinch. It's unfortunate, really. You had the potential to become a very skilled Nen user, it's the reason I kept you alive two years ago ♠.” He began walking towards him, making the other grit his teeth as he spoke. “Here's a little prediction...You will die in a frenzied dance ♥.”  
  
     Kastro's eyes narrowed in anger as Jordyn's widened in fear. “That's enough!” Kastro charged at him once more, creating his double once more to confuse him. However, unlike the previous times, Hisoka was able to locate the real one without trouble. The silver haired warrior jumped back as he noticed, allowing his double to attack for him, but the magician just dodged him with ease. It panicked Kastro, but he was trying to look like he still had things in control and that everything would turn out fine. Everything _had_ to turn out fine, he couldn't lose here. Not again. Not with Jordyn watching.  
  
     “Your double is in your image, yes, but it's always clean and beautiful. It never has any of the battle damage that the original has ♠.” He was correct. Kastro's cape had gotten very noticeable smudges on it from all the attacks he made on Hisoka as well as swatting the bloodied card away. His own technique had worked against him. He turned to look at the real Kastro, revealing that he had been using Gyo as well to aid in picking out the fake from the real one.  
     “Shut up!!” The real Kastro charged him again, but before he could even land an attack, Hisoka's severed right arm landed a punch on his chin. Kastro landed, staggering from the hit. The double disappeared due to his sudden confusion.  
  
     “Kastro...” Jordyn spoke quietly as she watched the man stumble and try to stay on his feet. She wanted to call louder, but the fear overwhelming her kept her from shouting. Hisoka spoke once more, but she wasn't listening. He raised his hand and flicked his index finger.  
  
     “Kastro!!” She finally yelled loud enough for him to hear, but it was already too late. Playing cards aimed for Kastro's body as Hisoka moved out of the way calmly. The cards pierced into his body, cutting into his Brachial artery, then the Femoral artery, while five remaining cards pierced directly into his torso and hip. He staggered for a moment before falling down without so much as a gasp or even a yell.  
  
     Jordyn pushed her way out of the seating aisle and ran down the staircase towards the arena as the referee declared the winner of the match. Killua watched as she jumped the railing, landing on the ground with ease and continued to run to the arena to check on Kastro. It didn't feel right. He remembered her grinning not too long ago, she sounded happy, she even joked with him. But now, she looked like she could scream and cry in agony without caring who watched her. It was something he was unused to and he didn't enjoy watching it.  
  
     “Kastro, look at me! Come on, please!” She knelt down to his body, brushing his hair aside to see his blank, deep blue eyes. She gritted her teeth and shook her head. “This isn't a joke! Talk to me!” She yelled again as tears began sliding down her face. She shook her head and looked at the cards sticking out of his body. She took the two sticking out of his right arm out and tossed them aside, before squeezing his arm to stop the bleeding. He still didn't respond to her. “Please...I still need you, don't leave me. You're all I have left...please....” She shook her head as her voice began breaking. Her body shook before she let out a loud scream, sounding like she was in pain.  
  
     She looked back at Hisoka's entry point, seeing him standing there with a smirk on his face. She gritted her teeth in anger, the tears still flowing and falling from her face as she stood up. She charged towards the door, but before she could reach him, the stone slab had shut closed, leaving the image of his sadistic smile in her head. She growled as she raised her hand, manipulating it to look more like a claw as she neared the door. She knew he was already out of her reach, but she didn't care. She swiped her hand against the concrete, creating five long, deep gouges along the wall. She yelled again as she fell to her knees, crying louder this time.  
  
_Jordyn looked up at Kastro as she finished her cup noodle. It had been months since they met and she had grown rather attached to him. She couldn't imagine life without him, it was just impossible! “Hey Kastro...”_  
_“Yes?” He looked up from his own cup noodle curiously when he heard her call his name._  
 _“We're gonna be together forever, right?” She asked with a curious smile. He blinked a few times before chuckling._  
 _“Of course.”_  
 _“You promise?” She pouted as she leaned towards him. He blinked again before laughing. He took her hand in his and wrapped their pinkies together._  
 _“I promise.” He pulled her close to him and gave her the tightest hug he could. She returned it without hesitation, smiling so happily._

 


	18. Grief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter does get a little graphic. If you can stand Gore and someone taking pleasure out of mutilating someone, then proceed. If not, ctrl+F and type in 'Nanashi'. At that point it's safe.

     It had been an hour after the match had concluded, the lobby was crowded with people waiting for their friends or family to meet up with them so they could go out for a fun night of drinking. It was already pretty late, most matches ended around midnight so it was just the right time for drinking the rest of the night away. While everyone looked happy and spoke loudly with their friends, Jordyn walked around the lobby alone. Her eyes were blank, though her dilated pupils were very easy to notice. She held herself with a lot of esteem and looked like she was just taking a pleasure walk around the lobby, there was no hint as to what she was planning on doing.   
  
     Her eyes scan the large room as she walks along casually, looking for someone. Anyone. She stopped walking as she noticed a boy around her height laughing with friends. His clothes were a bland color, she was sure it was a training uniform actually. His hair was a boring brown color, it was long enough to be held in a ponytail, though. He had a noticeable stubble on his chin. She didn't seem to care much for how he was built or even what he looked like. The only thing she really cared to notice was the fact he seemed oh so weak. She smiles to herself before walking up to the young man.   
  
     “Hello there.” She greeted him, though if anyone knew her, they'd notice right away that her voice was far too different from her actual voice. She actually sounded like a woman this time. The small group was a little caught off guard by her sudden appearance, but considering none of them knew her or even saw the Kastro match, they had no reasons to be suspicious of her. She only looked at the young man, though. She wasn't even sure what his friends had been saying at the time.   
     “Can I help you?” The man asked, unsure why she had approached him. She smiled mischievously as she leaned forward, giving him a lusty look.   
     “I want to have some...fun tonight. When I saw you, I couldn't help myself, I felt I should approach before you got away.” She added in a little giggle to lighten things up. The man blushed, but he looked eager to accept. She was a stranger, but a screw was still a screw. However, he did look back at his friends to make sure they wouldn't be bummed out by him ditching them to get laid. They just shrugged and urged him on before leaving.  
     “I'll take you up on that offer.”  
  
     She lead him to the elevator, asking the attendee to take them to the 200th floor. The woman nodded and pressed the appropriate buttons.  
     “The 200th floor? You live there?” He asked, seemingly amazed by that. She smiled at him as she held her hands behind her back.   
     “I know, I don't particularly look the part, do I? Well, truth is, I'm pretty dangerous.” She chuckled and looked back at the floor number. Before she had even approached him, she softened her features thanks to Manipulation. She managed to flatten her hair, plump her cheeks, and flatten her stomach enough so that she didn't look like a young boy. Granted, the tongue piercing could only do so much. It took a lot of concentration as well as focus to just keep her softened features up on her lower body. Her face and hair were much easier to manipulate considering that's where the piercing was situated. If she had to guess, she'd be able to keep this facade up for an hour, but no more than that. Her stomach did twitch every now and again, and she even felt her eyelids flinch a few times.  
     “Maybe we'll face one another soon! I'm actually a fighter here myself.” He laughed, showing much confidence in himself. Her smile fell for a moment before it returned, but this time, it made it a little more obvious that she held a much more darker motive for inviting him to her room.   
  
     She leads him to her room, letting him in first before she shut and locked the door again. The priest was nowhere to be seen, which she was actually happy about. He seemed amazed about the layout of the room, even taking his time to stay in the bedroom rather than anywhere else in the little place she called home. While he was distracted, she grabbed a few things from the bedside drawer.   
     “This is really amazing! I can't wait to get to the 200th floor myself.” He said excitedly, though couldn't help but look a little surprised as she started to drag him into another room. She was in no mood to chat, that was very clear to him. She really was just scouting him out to have a little fun tonight.  
  
     She opened the door to the bathroom, then she pushed him to the shower, making sure she was the one pinning him to the wall. She placed her leg between his before she kissed him almost too forcefully. He was surprised by her dominance, though he had to admit, it was actually a little hot. He had never met a dominant girl before. He actually kisses her back while she starts clawing at his clothing. She manages to undo the top as well as the sash keeping it all together. Placing her hand on his lower stomach, she pulls away from the kiss just enough to be able to slip her fingers into his mouth. This confuses him and he even looks at her, expecting an explanation.   
  
     “Now...we can't have you making any sounds.” She hummed as her voice began going back to normal. She licked her lips as she slid her fingers further into his mouth, making him gag a few times before they were able to slip down his throat. “It's going to sting.” His eyes widened before a gargled breath comes from his throat as she rips his vocal chords apart. He coughs up blood, but as he tries to scream, nothing comes out. Her eyes widen as her grin spreads across her face, her features returning to how they normally were on a day to day basis. She pins his hands against the wall, picking out two letter openers from her obi as she did. “I can't have you move very much, either. It could get messy if you do.” She hummed as she pierced his hands with the sharp objects, making sure he had no way of defending himself.   
  
     She hums in satisfaction, taking in his pitiful appearance. He's so scared, he can barely stand, but he's in enough pain that he wants to scream for help, but he can't. Blood drips from his mouth as he tries to plead with her through his eyes. But this doesn't seem to do anything. It just excites her all the more.   
     “Ah~! That look! That beautiful look! I want more!” She moaned as she pressed her hand to his stomach once more. She manipulates her hand once again in order to turn her nails into claws. With them, she carefully cuts open his stomach, but only the skin layer. She wants to keep everything intact so she can have more fun. She moaned once again as he looked down at his stomach in horror. “Oh~! You're too good, you're wonderful!” She laughed this time and continued on with the dissection.   
  
     Peeling away his skin and muscle carefully, she was able to see inside of him. The blood was a bit of a bother, but she didn't seem to mind that in the slightest. It dripped down onto the tile and down the drain. It was going to be easy cleaning up everything later. She discarded her shirt and pants before she went further, not wanting to dirty them. She kneeled in front of him forcing the skin and muscle to part so she could get a better look. She looked up at him again and couldn't help but laugh once more. “Oh I wish I could hear you scream~! That's the best part about this all...however, it wouldn't be so nice if the neighbors knew.” She hummed with a wicked smirk on her face. She knew she was safe from almost all crime thanks to her Hunter's License, but she would rather not have a big mess on her hands.   
  
     She reached her hand into the cavity, feeling his organs that were still pumping and moving like nothing was wrong. “So that's how the diaphragm works...” She hummed in intrigue before pulling out his intestines carefully, making sure she didn't rip anything. “Everything is just so healthy. Your stomach is still digesting your dinner, your intestines are filtering everything, your kidneys are bright red...oh it almost makes me upset that I chose you out of everyone in the lobby. What poor luck you have.” She clicked her tongue a few times as she shook her head. “You want to see?” He shook his head before gasping in pain as she ripped a kidney out. She held it up to him so he could see. “See? I wasn't lying at all.” She smiled at him before tossing the organ aside.   
  
     It went on like this for a while. She tore the membrane that kept all of his organs intact and in his body, allowing them to spill out from his stomach. He was getting paler and his lungs weren't working as quickly as they were before. But he still continued to stare down at her in horror and even kept trying to scream for help. She giggled again before reaching up into his chest, feeling the smooth muscle and bone of his back before feeling his heart. “That's what I was looking for!” She was careful to pluck it from it's resting place, bringing along the large arteries that kept it connected to his body. “Lookit how healthy you are. You must eat a very healthy diet, there's barely any plaque or even fat on it! But I guess that's how normal hearts are, anyway.” She shrugged as she held the thumping organ in her hand. He shook as he watched her, gasping and trying his best to scream. It was nothing but pained gurgles and blood. She grinned in excitement as she watched him panic, though she didn't realize she was holding the heart a little too tightly.  
  


     With the sudden constriction, it couldn't pump properly. It began twitching and became erratic with it's thumping. His body responded in the same way, flinching and twitching as he arched his back against the wall as if he were in immense pain. She blinked as both of them finally stopped moving after a moment. She frowned and sighed at this, not looking or seeming too happy with the outcome.   
     “Darn it, I was hoping to get a little more fun out of him.” She sighed as she dropped the organ from her hand. She took the letter openers out of his hands, tossing them out of the way as well while she worked on draining the body of blood and stitching the organs back in place. It wasn't all that hard. It was actually pretty easy considering she used to tie up all sorts of meats with butcher's twine back home. It was just his clothes that were the problem. If she wanted to dump the body properly, she would need to either carry him or manipulate him to move. And considering she didn't have a medium for controlling others yet, and the fact that his clothes were covered in blood, she was going to have a grand time figuring out how to do this.   
  
     She eventually figured out a way to move the body without having attention drawn to her. She acted like he had gotten into a bad fight and didn't know when to quit and that she was just dragging him home. Again, she had changed her features and voice to hide her real self from onlookers. It made things surprisingly easy. She could understand why Illumi enjoyed this sort of technique so much. Once the body was dumped(in the forest where wild animals could get to it, of course), Jordyn made her way back home.   
  
     “I still don't feel right.” She sighed as she touched her hand to her chest. She still felt sick to her stomach, empty, despaired, upset...even after killing someone, it didn't help. It usually did, but this time it just didn't. Was it because it wasn't the one that incited her anger? Would she be satisfied if she had killed Hisoka instead? She frowned a little, not knowing why she still felt horrible despite taking out her anger on someone.   
     She returned back to Heavens Arena, this time heading to her room instead of looking for another soul to torment. She knew sleep wouldn't fix how she was feeling, but perhaps it would make her forget for a moment. She was hoping it would.   
  
     She unlocked her door and walked in, only to see Nanashi waiting for her in his usual spot: the comfy, ornate looking chair. She stares at him as she shut the door, not breaking eye contact with him at all. He stands up from his seat, though sighed and looked at the ground.   
     “I saw the fight on tv.” He spoke solemnly before looking at her almost apologetically. He knew this was going to happen, he knew she shouldn't have watched that fight, and yet he did nothing to stop her. He could have knocked her out, he could have done anything to keep her in this room. But he hadn't. She didn't look at him, which makes him even more upset. “Are you alright, Jordyn? I know this is hard for you...Manipulators get far too attached to people they deem worthy...” He was hoping she would look at him this time. But instead, her body shook as she began to cry. He never thought he would see that, but to be fair, he couldn't see all that well with her looking at the ground like that. But he didn't say anything. He just let her grieve and find her answer.   
  
     She eventually looks up at him, smiling despite all the tears she's shedding. “Do you still want to hear what I meditate on? I'm feeling...generous.” She asked through choked sobs. He's surprised, but at the same time, pleased that she would let him hear what was always on her mind. He shook his head, however.  
     “Save your breath...” He began walking over to her, lifting his hands up, making the long sleeves slide down to reveal gloved hands. He removed the glove from his right hand as he took a breath. “ _Angel's Hand._ ” The appendage took on a heavenly white glow as he outstretched it towards her. He touched her forehead, getting a gasp out of her as her expression went blank.   
  
     Flashes of red, sounds of yelling and gunfire, feelings of sadness and happiness, anger and calm, and dozens of letters falling in front of his eyes, it all shrouded his mind. He saw every little detail of Jordyn's life, he saw her motivations and he learned exactly why there was such a significant ripple in her aura and why the examiners were told to keep an eye on her. He took his hand from her forehead, catching her before she fell to the ground. The technique always left the victim weak due to the shock of having their mind raided. He sat her on her bed, waiting for her to regain her thoughts. He sat in the chair again, replacing the glove to on his hand, then waited.   
  
     She looked at him after a long moment, waiting for him to say something. “I'm sorry I didn't warn you. That technique has always been iffy with the recipients.” He smiled at her before frowning once more. He wasn't sure how to respond to what he saw. It was a lot for one child to go through alone. “I'm sorry...about your past as well. I know Phirun has always been a corrupt place I just...didn't realize it ran that deep.” He hummed quietly, placing his joined fists to his lips. She didn't respond to that, she didn't think she had to or should. He had seen everything, there was no need to remember it all again or even mention it.  
  
     “Do you think...I'll be able to repent for what I've done?” She finally asked him, looking at him with a blank expression. She didn't feel guilty for killing that stranger, she felt no guilt for killing any stranger. She only felt guilt for not being able to be there for Kastro when he needed her the most. She wasn't able to protect him and that made her feel absolutely terrible.  
  
     “That, Jordyn...is your choice to make. Not mine.”

 


	19. Recovery

     Weeks had passed since then. Nanashi did his best to distract her by constantly having her learn new Nen techniques, such as In. She was learning quickly, like she always seemed to do, but he couldn't help but notice that the ripple in her aura was much more frequent. It bothered him quite a bit, he just didn't know what to do about it. Since seeing what she had gone through in the past as well as feeling what she felt during Kastro's match, he knew exactly why she was so determined and so quick to learn things. He couldn't do anything to help her, though. He couldn't ease that ripple and he knew he couldn't ease that constant pain in her heart. _Angel's Hand_ could only do so much. It allowed him to see people's pasts, feel what they felt during their lives, it could only give so much comfort to the receiver, but it couldn't heal hearts or ease minds like the name would imply.   
     As his student, he did feel a small bond with her, but he could tell he wasn't special to her like Kastro was. He doubted anyone would ever be. But she did talk with him, she did confide in him about her fear of being weak and unable to help someone again. He did his best to help her, but he always told her that she needed to find her own answers as well as her own way of doing things. He did realize that he should guide her along to the more correct path than the one she was taking, he knew he should tell her to meditate longer and more focused, but he knew very well that she needed to fall before she got back up.  
  
     After all, even wolves, despite their teamwork and effort, were helpless and made mistakes before they learned anything.  
  
     May had rolled in, bringing with it warm weather and blooming flower trees. Many more people had started visiting the Arena, even taking their children to watch a few fights with them. It was the perfect time for families, after all, and the Arena even had special deals on the tickets for toddlers, seniors, and a family of four. Of course, the tickets were still outrageously priced depending on who was fighting, but it seemed parents weren't that concerned over costs if it meant having fun with the entire family.   
     In between training and going for walks, Jordyn had demonstrated her skills to the kids as well as showed them simple slight of hand tricks just to make their stay even better. Though, in a way, it was like therapy for her. It took her mind off of what happened a month ago, it got her to smile even if it was slight, and she got to see kids at least be happy for a little bit. Her eyes had never constricted, however. They remained dilated, though no one seemed to point it out. If anything, others thought it was apart of her act.  
  
     “Jordyn, you know it's been three months since our fight.” Nanashi spoke up as he watched her stare out the window of her room for a few minutes. She had done that quite a bit lately. It just proved to worry him further.  
     “Hm? Really, already?” She blinked in surprise as she looked at him finally. She hadn't been keeping track of the months considering her training and developing her own ability, she just didn't think it was all that important. But considering she had to fight in a three month period if she wanted to keep her room, then she should have really been paying attention. He smiled at her before tapping his chin.  
     “Yes really. I have an idea for a challenge as well.” He hummed, happy to see he grabbed her attention. “We'll be fighting again, on the 6th. If you can get a single Down on me, you will win.” He didn't have a prize for her, nor did he want anything from her. He just wanted her to get motivated.  
     “And what if I lose?” She rose a skeptical brow at him, not sure if she trusted that this was just going to be an easy challenge without any repercussions.   
     “If you lose...you will fail.” He simply stated without further explanation. She looked confused, though. Just what did he mean by that?  
  
     Before she could even ask him, he holds his hand away from his face. She perks up and points to him. “It's a rabbit!” She states loudly, which gets a chuckle out of him. Gyo was probably one of her favorite Nen techniques to practice, especially considering Nanashi liked to make his aura look like animals rather than numbers or letters.   
     “Very good! Now, Ten.” He watched her stand up and focus her aura around her like he had taught her. “Now Ren.” Her aura increased, flowing fluidly around her body and still showing that ripple. “In.” She took her power stance to activate _Living Marionette_ but the Nen strings around her body weren't visible unless he used Gyo. “Now En.” She paused a moment, staring at him with a confused look on her face.   
     “What's En?” She had learned almost everything else but En. Nanashi flinched before going over everything in his head.  
     “I was getting too excited, I forgot I haven't drilled you in En yet...” He hummed to himself, trying not to look embarrassed over his slip up. “Well, we'll start now! It'll be good for you later on.” He nodded with a smile on his face. “Of course, after we register first.”  
     “Alright!”  
  
     His favorite part about training was the fact he could see Jordyn smile again. She enjoyed training and didn't care if it wiped her out after a long day, it was like she wasn't dealing with her own demons or trying to keep herself from falling apart. He preferred these moments of peace than the ones where she's thinking of everything she can and keeping it all a secret from him. She had a terrible problem about wanting to shoulder all of her problems instead of trying to let others help shoulder that load. Again, he shouldn't interfere in this despite wanting to. He knew he needed to let everything happen the way it was going to so she could learn on her own. She couldn't have her hand held the entire way, she would never fully understand what she did and how her thought process was wrong. He just hoped she realized these errors soon.  
  
     “Gon, check it out.” Killua smiled as he held up two tickets. The boy seemed a little confused at first, wondering if it was another Hisoka fight. He had finally recovered from his injury(though really, he had been healed since a month ago) and he was able to learn Nen again, so he could watch whatever match he wanted.  
     “You got two more tickets? To who's match?” He took one of the tickets, reading the label carefully.  
     “Jordyn's. She's facing some guy called Nanashi. They've faced before, but apparently she lost.” He explained. They hadn't been on the 200th floor just yet when the match happened, so of course they didn't know about it. But it would be nice to finally see her fight.   
     “She must know Nen like us, then! That's really exciting, I really wanna see how another Nen user fights! Well, aside from the ones we've seen.” Gon said excitedly before sticking his tongue out. Watching a friend could very well help them develop as well. Observation was another way to learn, at least that's what Wing said. Killua nodded, though didn't respond right away. He was a little concerned since he had no idea how she was doing since Hisoka's fight. She had reacted terribly to Kastro being killed, he couldn't help but wonder if she was doing any better. And the best way to find out was through this match.   
     “Yeah! She might have mastered all of the four techniques, too.” He smiled at him, deciding to play along and not look concerned. “She does have two months on us, after all, so there is that.” He nodded as they began walking to the arena the fight was being held in.   
  
     “ _It looks like we have another revenge match on our hands, people! The Apprentice of the late Kastro, Jordyn Zweiss, is up against the priest with no name, Nanashi!_ ” The announcer yelled as the audience began taking their seats, getting ready for the match. “ _Last time Nanashi was able to get a KO on the young fighter! I sure hope this match isn't over that quickly again! Let's see what the audience thinks!_ ” Everyone turned their heads to the score board where the bets were held.   
  
     Jordyn sighed a little as she stretched her limbs, waiting for the announcer to stop hyping up the crowd. This had nothing to do with revenge or wanting to get back at Nanashi, this was just training. Well, she guessed they had to hype the crowd up somehow, but still. The large boards beeped as the bets were tallied up.   
     “ _It looks like the people are confident in Nanashi again! Maybe the underdog will surprise us!_ ” Somehow, despite not really wanting to care for the bets or the crowd favorite, Jordyn did feel annoyed that no one really thought she was going to win this match. Her only goal was to get a Down on him, but for some reason she wanted to prove the audience wrong. Maybe it was all that time she spent surprising her audience in the lower floors, she wasn't sure. The man smiled at her, though, trying to make her realize this wasn't a very serious fight. Well, not unless she wanted to win this challenge. But this wasn't for glory or bragging rights at all.   
  
     “There is no time limit, no restrictions, first to ten points wins.” The Referee stepped in, looking at both of them as he explained the rules of the match. The two got ready for the match, though she didn't get into her usual stance which did confuse the two boys watching. They had always seen her take a stance where it looked like she was going to dash for her enemy at any moment despite having a reserved position for her hands. Now it just looked like she was taunting her enemy with this new stance. “Begin!” The referee quickly retreats back as the match starts.   
  
     The magenta colored strings rap around Jordyn's body with ease, though cause her body shudder and twitch slightly, before she finally went into the stance Gon and Killua were familiar with. They looked even more surprised, however, as she dashed off towards Nanashi. It was easy to tell she was faster, but what was surprising was the fact she hadn't waited for him to make his first move. From what they had seen, at least in the Hunter's Exam, she refused to make the first move until she understood where her opponent was going. It was like she didn't care if she got hurt anymore. While they knew that usually wasn't like her, Killua was more curious if it had something to do with that stance she had taken earlier.   
  
     Nanashi watched her movements careful, anticipating where she was going to attack from. She zigzagged towards him, trying to confuse him at first, but it was easy to see where she was going. As she lifted her leg to land a kick to his head, he lifted his arm to block her. The kick was powerful, yes, but not as strong as an Enhancer's attack would be. He was still proud of her, though, and his smile showed it. She was no longer reserved about facing him, she just charged him without a second thought unlike before. Well, to be fair, he hadn't sent out a pulse of his aura at her this time, but the progress still showed. She clicked her tongue and quickly backed off before he could grab her leg and attack her.   
     “I'm very proud of you. Knowing you've improved yourself, I can use this without feeling regret.” His sleeves rolled up, revealing golden osame-fuda. She tensed herself, getting ready to run or dodge in case he decided to use those slips to attack her directly. However, he threw the eight slips down onto the eight surrounding slates that paved the arena. “ _Gods Will_.” The eight slates slid out of their fixed pattern and began hovering around him. Normally these osame-fuda were used to paralyze people or force them to become unconscious, but since Jordyn was already being manipulated, they would have no effect. These giant slabs were better than nothing. She actually looked a little intimidated considering the size of the stone slabs, but she quickly steeled herself and began thinking of a way out of this. “Don't lose your confidence now, Jordyn.” He took a power stance, thrusting his arms forward, which forced the stone slabs to move into the pattern of a flower. He took a breath before thrusting his right fist towards her, causing a slab to spin and fly at her.  
  
     Jordyn wasted no time moving again, keeping her half fists at her sides as she charged towards the slab. She ducked underneath it once she got close enough, then thrust her fists up, breaking it into both big and small pieces. Nanashi smiled and thrust his left fist, then his right fist in rapid succession, causing more slabs to fly towards her. He watched her break the next one, then sent two more flying her way. He was confident that she wouldn't even have time to think of a plan with this bombardment, but he was underestimating her greatly. She could tell he was relying on these slabs far too much, and while she was heading for him in a straight line, she could very easily switch sides at the blink of an eye. She already had something in mind to trip him up, though not even she was sure it was going to work.   
  


     She destroyed another slab, though grabbed one of the larger bits of rock as she dodged the other slabs flying towards her. He hummed in curiosity as he watched her jump back, then race towards him again, though this time used In to hide her aura. “Very good! But it's far too obvious to know where you're going to strike.” He called out to her as he watched her make her way around him. He moved the slabs of stone around him, this time forming them in a straight line rather than in a pattern. He looked up and quickly smashed the tossed rock with his fist. But instead of lowering his guard, he kept his arms up, expecting her to leap beyond the wall he had created. But she never did. His eyes widen as he feels her aura again and turned around to watch as she dashes around him, using In on and off to confuse his senses. And it was working. He kept switching the slabs to the incorrect side long after she had dashed by him. Sure, he might be happy that she was able to trick him like this, but it was very frustrating to him. He wanted her to win, yes, but he also wanted to make it as hard for her as possible.   
  
     “Boo.” He looked to his left with a gasp as she closes in on him and successfully swipes his legs out from under him. The slabs of stone fall down as he loses his focus, and tries his best to correct himself. Jordyn lifts her leg high, preparing to solidify her own personal victory against him. He stares up at her foot only for his eyes to widen when he notices her focusing all of her aura to her foot. He hadn't even taught her Ko yet, and yet she seemed to be able to teach herself. He grits his teeth and focuses his aura to his stomach, using Ryu to keep his organs safe.   
  
     To Jordyn, the moment went slowly. She had been thinking of this moment for a long time, though it was a completely different person she had wanted to do this to. Imagining Hisoka's bloody and broken form, watching as his eyes widen in fear and shock, it's all she could think about. She hadn't even realized what she was doing or what she had forced herself to learn. The heel of her foot crashed down onto Nanashi's gut, causing the man to cough horribly in pain. The tile broke underneath him as he landed on the ground. He held his stomach as she took her foot away from him, though she doesn't seem to realize what she's done until after he starts coughing and gasping for breath.   
  
     “N-Nanashi!” She knelt down to him, hoping he was okay.  
     “Critical Hit and Down! Two points to Jordyn!” The referee announces, which causes the audience to erupt in cheers. She didn't care very much, though, she was worried that she had hurt him far too much.   
     “Are you okay? I didn't mean to make it that hard, I'm sorry!” She apologized as she tried to look at him. She flinched as he threw up what he ate for lunch, making her realize just how hard she had hit him. She's surprised he wasn't coughing up blood, though she supposed he had his way of defending himself from strong attacks like that.   
     “I'm fine...I can continue fighting.” He told her as he smiled at her. He kept holding his stomach despite his smile. She frowned a little and stood up with him. She didn't believe him, but she wasn't going to force the match to end if he really did want to keep fighting. “I'm serious, I'm fine, Jordyn.” He focused his Nen once more, allowing the remaining slabs to float in the air once again. She stared at him skeptically, but allows the fight to go on. She activates _Living Marionette_ once more and gets into her normal fighting stance.  
  
     “Clean Hit! The score is now 10-9, Nanashi wins by points!” The referee announces after the hour long battle finally comes to a close. Jordyn has bruises all over her body and Nanashi wasn't fairing too well either. In the end, she just couldn't take the fight seriously anymore once she realized she had hurt him terribly. The crowd cheers as the fighters exit through the ways they arrived inside the ring.   
  
     “Jordyn, I think I need to remind you that you are a Manipulator. You have no use for Enhancement techniques.” Nanashi said as they arrived back at her room. She had to help him walk most of the way there, but she was just happy to get him back in his usual seat so he could relax.  
“What are you talking about? I didn't use any Enhancement techniques.” She looked at him confusedly, wondering where he got the notion from. She wondered if it had anything to do with her stomp. She frowned a little before checking on his breathing and heart rate. “Are you sure you're okay? I did hit you pretty hard, but I swear I wasn't going into the Enhancer category. I just...thought if I could make a powerful kick, then I could.” She shrugged as she watched the clock, counting his pulse to make sure everything was alright.  
  
     This seemed to worry the man. While her learning abilities were amazing, he was sure he knew what drove her to learn Ko all on her own. She had been acting differently ever since Kastro's fight and while many others may not realize or notice this, it was very easy to notice when you knew her before the fight. Either way, he shakes his head and tries to get her to not worry so much. That was the only thing that hadn't changed. She was still worried over people she considered her friends, people she could trust. Well, maybe not trust fully, but trust nonetheless. “Please don't worry over me, I'll be fine. But I do have to say, you're evolving rather quickly. What you did in the fight was a Nen technique called Ko. It uses all of the Nen techniques, even Zetsu, in order to focus all of your aura into one limb or appendage. It's a good technique if you want to go all out for an offensive move, but it's stupid to use if you're against multiple enemies. Your first, or foot, or anything is the only thing protected, the rest of your body is vulnerable to any attack.” He explained to her, though coughed a few times through the explanation. She looked amazed, though.   
     “I learned that all on my own?”  
     “More like on natural instinct. You had no idea what you were doing, but your subconscious did.” He smiled at her before fixing himself in the chair, sitting up more straighter.  
  
     “Now, since you did get a Down on me, I can safely say that you've passed the secondary Hunters Exam.” He was sure there was going to be some arguments on this, considering how she was turning out, but he felt she was well enough to make a complete turnaround later on. He was positive of it. She blinked a few times before tilting her head.  
     “Secondary...exam?” He couldn't help but chuckle at her clueless look.   
     “There is always a secondary exam. While anyone could get a Hunter's License, learning Nen is a whole different thing. Testers are sent out across the globe to watch over the examinees that passed the first test, we are tasked with teaching them Nen. However, it's also a test to see if it's a good idea to teach them Nen. It's not mentioned in the main exam, simply because it wouldn't be good if normal or even corrupt people knew about it.” He explained, though could see she was a little frustrated. Even if they made efforts to keep Nen a secret, there were still corrupt people that learned it, like Hisoka. He smiled a little and sighed. “Sometimes, people learn it all on their own without even having to take the Hunter's exam. Not everything can be watched closely, unfortunately.”   
  
     “So I passed even though I could have killed you?” She asked as she sat on her bed.  
     “Yes...You are a special case. Everyone told me to keep an extra eye on you, they said you were fragile. And I can understand why...very much so, unfortunately. But you have a good heart, I can tell.”   
     “What do you mean fragile? I'm not fragile!” She denied, looking very sure of herself. He stared at her a while before sighing. He had to keep this to himself, he knew that.   
     “Well, that's what they told me. Anyway, you're officially a Hunter now. But despite this, I want to keep training you. I'll teach you Ko, Ryu, En, and Shu until I'm certain you won't be needing my guidance anymore.” She smiled back at him as he said this, though it felt a little embarrassing to have to keep leaning on someone in order to learn something fully. But if it meant she could become stronger, then she didn't mind too much.  
     “Will it be hard?”  
     “Of course. Even you have your difficulties.” He rubbed his stomach a little and stood up. He wanted to stick around, but he knew that he needed to get some medical attention before anything else happened today. Before he left, though, he looked at her and held up a finger. “As a Hunter, I give you your first task...While heightening your agility, reflexes, and speed is a good thing, you need something to defend yourself with. I want you to create an offensive technique. Something you know very well, or perhaps, something you wish to pursue. Manipulators have an entire array of things they can do, I'm confident you'll be able to come up with something unique to you.” He patted her head before leaving the room, letting her ponder on his task.

 


	20. Hatred

     “And you're sure you're going to be okay?” Killua asked as he and Jordyn took their seats in the crowd, waiting for the long awaited match to begin. It had been a couple of months since her fight with Nanashi, and he hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something was brewing in her head since then. She just had this look in her eye that told him something wasn't right. It was like she wasn't completely there, yet she was still able to pay attention. She shook her head and smiled at him.  
     “It'll be fine. Hisoka won't kill him, he likes him too much.” She sighed as she leaned back in her seat. She had to have Killua fill her in, but apparently Gon really wanted to fight Hisoka for some reason. And while it wasn't fair, she knew very well that the magician wouldn't kill him. He was an 'unripe fruit' as he liked to put it whenever he talked about people, so he wouldn't kill him until he felt it was the right time. She was relieved, but she was angry over it as well. What right did he have to decide who gets to live and who gets to die like that?   
     “Well, I can't deny that. As long as you think you'll be okay.” He stared at her a little longer before looking at the ring, deciding he shouldn't worry too much.   
  
     The lights dimmed in the arena as different colored spotlights started to circle around the entire room. The audience erupted in cheering as they stood up to see the fighters enter the ring. “ _The long awaited match between Gon and Hisoka will finally begin! To the right: Gon enters the ring first! He has 1 loss and 3 victories of his own! He looks to be in good health as well!_ ” The announcer blared over her microphone as the boy walked into the arena. “ _To the left: Hisoka! He has 9 wins and 3 losses! If he wins this match, he'll be eligible to become a Floor Master! But if he loses, he'll have to start all the way from the beginning! The stakes are high for this match! But he's never lost a single fight when he does show up, so will he remain untouchable in this match as well? Or will Gon surprise us and win?_ ” The crowd was barely listening to the woman as she announced Hisoka's score and his skill. All they cared about was the match and seeing bloodshed. Jordyn kept calm as she watched the two fighters enter the ring, though there was a slight hostile look in her eyes. She was keeping herself under control, but she knew very well that if things started to go south in this match, she would be there to protect Gon this time. She couldn't let Hisoka take another life.  
  
     The man cracked his arms as he walked out of his entry point, stepping into the ring with an indifferent look on his face. Once they were both in, the fighters stared one another down for a moment, showing off their aura to one another in preparation for the match. However, it was easy to tell that Hisoka's aura was much more sinister than Gon's. It was almost eerie with how different it was. “No time limit, no restrictions, first to ten points wins, KOs are considered wins as well.” The referee spoke up as he entered and told the fighter's the rules for the match. They stepped back to give one another room, getting ready to fight. “Begin!” The referee jumped back as he started the fight.  
  
     Gon, without hesitation, charged towards Hisoka and threw a punch at him. The man dodged with ease and slammed his elbow into the boy's back. He landed on the floor, not allowing himself to fall down, before going in for a counter. He tried barraging him with punches, but he managed to dodge every one of them. Hisoka threw a punch of his own that Gon dodged, but he wasn't able to dodge the kick he threw at him. It continued on like this, Gon trying to throw a punch only for Hisoka to dodge and land one hit of his own. He was finally able to land a good hit to the boy, causing him to slide back across the arena. The audience and even the announcer had been silent the entire time, just watching the match in anticipation and awe.   
  
     “Clean Hit! One point for Hisoka!” The referee announced, causing the audience do cheer loudly again. Jordyn's eyes narrowed as he gave out the point, figuring out immediately what sort of referee he was. Her worry and the tension in her body was eased when she figured this out, but couldn't help but feel this match was even more unfair compared to Kastro's. While the announcer was cheering in awe about the exchange of blows, Jordyn took her time to use Gyo now that she knew this fight would be flying by. If she could keep an eye on things and learn anything from this fight, then she wanted to be able to see everything. In any normal circumstance, she would tell Gon to do the same, but she knew very well he wouldn't want that sort of hint. At least not this early into the match. Either way, she'd like to see just what sort of tactic Hisoka liked to use rather than just sneak attacks.  
  
     “Well? I haven't even moved from this spot since the match began ♦.” Hisoka pointed out, making Gon surprised.  
     “What, really!? Damn!” He wasn't all that happy to have that pointed out to him, but he was thinking quickly. There had to be an opening, he just had to figure out how to get to it. Once he had something in mind, he dashed towards Hisoka again, but instead of through a punch, he started to use feints. This intrigued most of the audience, though none thought he would get far with it. He then dashed off to the side and dug his hands into the stone slate. He forced it out of the ground, effectivelt tossing it into the air.   
     “ _There it is! Gon's stone slab throw!_ ” The announcer said excitedly as Gon followed the slate into the air, then broke it into all sorts of shapes and sizes with one good punch. This managed to catch Hisoka off guard as he began smashing the rocks that flew towards him. He had no time to watch where Gon was going or where he had hid himself, he was too concentrated on the rocks in front of him. He looked around before realizing he hadn't checked behind him. As he turned his head, the boy's fist connected painfully with his cheek.  
  
     “Critical Hit! 2 points to Gon!” The referee announced as the boy landed. The audience once again erupted in cheers and excitement.   
     “He did it...” Jordyn blinked but smiled at this. The fact he actually managed to land a hit on him was amazing in and of itself. Though, she couldn't help but wonder when Hisoka was going to start taking this match seriously. He hadn't even used Bungee Gum yet, and she would never believe he was going easy on Gon. Perhaps he was just waiting for something to happen, or perhaps a cue for him to start getting serious.   
  
     It seemed that cue was that punch. Hisoka began walking towards Gon, confusing the announcer and the audience. Gon did the same, digging into his pocket for something. He held out a button to the man. The button itself had the number '44' written on it, which seemed to click with Jordyn. She remembered Gon had snatched his button away from Hisoka with his fishing rod, but that seemed a little weird still. She had no idea what happened after that since she just went into hiding instead of making sure the boy was alright. As quickly as Hisoka took it, the two jumped back and got into fighting stances once more. Hisoka showed off a magic trick, making the button multiply before it disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.   
  
     “What did you learn about Nen?” He asked, making Gon a little confused.  
     “All the basics.” He simply answered, still standing in his fighting stance.   
     “I see. You're an enhancer, aren't you ♣?”   
     “W-What?! How did you know?!” While Gon was confused, Hisoka just chuckled and even smiled at his naivety.  
     “You're so adorable ♥. I got you so easily ♠.”   
     “Shut up! Tell me how you knew!” Gon demanded, looking a little flustered when he predicted his Nen type. It wasn't something he thought anyone could predict, so he would very much like to know how he did it.   
  
     His smile turned to a smirk as he began his explanation. “It's similar to the Blood Type personality test, and just as unreliable. I just used my own way of devising personality types using aura, that's all ♦.” He then quickly pointed to Gon.   
     “There...” Jordyn muttered as she watched and listened. Killua looked at her a little confused but looked back to the arena out of curiosity.  
     “Enhancers are known for being pure and simple ♥.”   
     “Nailed it.” Killua and Jordyn sighed to themselves. She didn't know anyone else as pure or simple as Kastro. It was almost scary sometimes.  
     “I myself am a Transmuter. Fickle and dishonest.”  
     “Yup.” Jordyn once again agreed with the strange horoscope. It was actually a little scary to know it hit the nail on the head both times.   
  
     “We have good compatibility. Since the opposing personalities go well together ♥. We could become intimate even, but you'll need to be careful since Transmuters are very fickle ♦. What could be treasure one day could very well turn to trash the next.” He hummed before listing off the rest of the types. “Emitters are hot-tempered, Conjurers high strung, Specialists are independent, and Manipulators are argumentative.”   
  
     Jordyn didn't seem too happy about that. “He's right.” Killua spoke up, looking right at her. She ruffled his hair to keep him quiet, though he just pouted.  
     “So...don't disappoint me, Gon ♠.” He took a step forward before dashing towards the boy. The boy was caught off guard by his speed and didn't give himself time to dodge his punch. The boy flew back, but Hisoka was quicker than that, he dashed to the other side of the arena, hitting him once more before he even landed on the ground. It was almost enough to intimidate Jordyn, but she just kept watching carefully without showing too much emotion. Gon was able to fix himself, skidding to a halt on the pavement before Hisoka could get to him again. He gasped as the man gave him barely enough time to escape his kick, but he managed to dodge out of the way before his foot landed in his stomach.   
  
     The kick was powerful enough to dislodge the slab and fling it all the way into the audience, landing with a loud crash. This was enough to not only Jordyn, but Killua and the other audience members as well. Hisoka continued his barrage of attacks, breaking most of the tiles as he chased Gon around the arena. He eventually managed to land a blow on him that knocked him to the ground.  
  
     “Critical Hit! Two points to Hisoka! The score is now 3-2!” The referee announced, despite Gon getting up quickly. The boy looked annoyed, but he began sizing his opponent up, trying to think of something before he dashed into an attack again.   
     “Well? Aren't you going to attack me ♥?”   
     “No! I'm brainstorming!” Gon stuck his tongue out at him before rubbing his sore cheek.   
     “If that's the case, I'll just make you come ♥.” Hisoka held up a single finger, which made Jordyn click her tongue. Killua finally realized what she meant earlier and immediately yelled down to Gon.   
     “Use Gyo!” He yelled down to him, and the boy immediately focused his Nen to his eyes. He was able to see the pink strand of aura attached to his face, which did cause a little panic as Hisoka simply moved his finger to activate his trap. Gon resisted the pull for about a moment before he was finally pulled off his feet and he sprang towards Hisoka, allowing the man to get another hit on him.   
     “That's why I call it Bungee Gum. It can stretch and constrict only on my will ♣.”   
  
     Gon looked frustrated as he tried to stand up. He knew he couldn't get out of this, only Hisoka could release the technique and he knew very well he wouldn't. “Stand up, Gon ♥.” Hisoka beckoned him, getting a lot of pleasure out of seeing him beaten up like he was.   
     “Critical Hit and Down! Three points to Hisoka! The score is now 6-2!” The referee announced loudly, which while some of the audience did appreciate it, the other half was starting to think this match was rigged. They cheered for Gon to get up, not wanting him to lose hope in this match. “Are you able to continue?” The referee asked and the boy almost immediately hopped up onto his feet again.   
     “Of course!” While he was able to stand, he was staggering due to his injuries. Who knew how long he would be able to keep going. He didn't know how he was going to get to him or even be able to make up the points, but he would try.   
  
     “Short problem. If you can answer this correctly, I'll let you hit me once ♦.” Gon wasn't sure what sort of reward system this was or if this was even the time for a trivia problem, but he didn't oppose the challenge. “When did I attach Bungee Gum to your face? A) During the Elbow Hit. B) During the Clean Hit. C) During the Critical Hit.”   
     “Hm...C! When you hit me with both hands!”  
     “Wrong. It was D, when I was doing the Aura Personality test.” He could see him getting frustrated over that, but he didn't feel all that bad about tricking him. “But, there is something else you should think on: If you had used Gyo during case D, you would have been able to avoid it ♣. But what about case A, B, and C?” He smirked at him. The spectators as well as Gon realized that, no matter what, he would have been able to attach his Bungee Gum to his face or even his back and limbs. He didn't need to distract his opponent, he could just directly touch him and the trap would be set. The only way to avoid it was using Gyo as well as not getting hit by him, which seemed to be nearly impossible. You had to be quick and your reflexes even quicker to avoid all of his attacks, not to mention his anticipation of where his opponent will be. It was like a deadly game of chess and the odds were always in favor of Hisoka.  
  
     “Well, enough talk. Let's continue ♥.” Hisoka smirked down at the boy, though was surprised to see him charging right for him. Gon knew that he couldn't escape, but even then, he refused to just give up and retreat. He could use this to his advantage and he knew that. However, the look on Hisoka's face changed to that of being in absolute ecstasy. It stopped Gon for only a moment, and even intimidated the audience as well, but the boy wasted no time barraging him with punch after punch to his face. While it looked like Hisoka had resigned to the pummeling, he was quick to retaliate. He pulled Gon along with his Bungee Gum again, landing a powerful hit to his cheek. He pulled him back again and threw another punch, however Gon managed to block this time. He landed to the ground, though quickly stood up to prevent himself from getting a down.   
  
     “One Critical Hit to each side, two more points! One more point to Hisoka for a Down! The score is 9-4!” The referee announced, but even Gon had to argue with this call.   
     “What!? But I stood up immediately! How was that a down?!” He argued, though the ref just shook his head, not changing his score at all.  
  
     “You're helping Hisoka too much!”  
     “Give Gon a break!” The audience yelled at the referee, knowing his scoring wasn't fair in the slightest. However, despite this, Killua and Jordyn seemed relieved that this was almost over. Hisoka just needed one more point.   
  
     “You should learn to pay more attention, Gon. Look to your right ♦.” Hisoka pointed to his right, and Gon gullibly looked. However, the Bungee Gum activated and caused a large rock to smack him right in the face. Gon fell flat to the ground as the rock tumbled off of him. “Oh, sorry, I meant my right ♠.” Gon sat up, looking absolutely frustrated with the dirty trick, but before he could retaliate, the referee called the match.   
  
     “Down and Critical Hit! Two points to Hisoka! The score is 11-4! Winner by points: Hisoka!” The room erupted into cheers and boos, half the room happy with the result and half unhappy with the way the points were called. But regardless, there were people that were relieved it didn't end terribly. Jordyn couldn't help but wonder, however, that if this judge was in Kastro's fight would he have made it out alive? Would he just be injured terribly or just bruised? She didn't know, but for some reason, it just frustrated her more. She stood up with Killua and headed out of the room with him, planning on going to see and congratulate Gon on his fight, even if he did lose.   
  
     As they headed down the hall, Jordyn slowed her steps a moment. Something had been telling her to stay around and wait, but she knew she didn't want to. She wanted to get back to her room before anything else happened today. She wasn't in the mood for a match and she knew leeches were waiting around in the halls. She shook her head and just followed Killua to the elevator and down to the lobby. He ran off ahead of her to go meet with Gon, which caused a chuckle to come out of her mouth. He was an ex-assassin and he could intimidate anyone he wanted, but he was still so much like a child. It was cute to her, though she wasn't allowed to smile for too long. She froze as she felt someone tap her shoulder.  
  


     She looked back, only for her eyes to narrow and her hand to dart up, pressing the sharp-claws against Hisoka's neck. He was bandaged up from the fight, but he didn't look intimidated in the slightest. He even wrapped his own hand around her neck to keep her from squeezed too hard. “What the hell do you want? And who said you could even approach me?” She growled at him, not seeming to care that he could choke her or break her windpipe at any moment. She would tear his throat out of she truly felt like it.  
     “Still so feisty. I have some information you might like to hear, however, so I wouldn't suggest squeezing too tightly ♣.” He told her, though could feel the claws prick into his skin. The smirk on his face never left. “There's going to be a string of auctions in York New City, I thought you would like to know ♥.”   
     “And what the hell do I care for auctions, huh?” She squeezed a little tighter, this time drawing blood. He squeezed just as tightly, though she didn't look phased in the slightest.  
     “The mafia both controls those auctions and takes part in them. I hear event he Varistradi are going to attend the auction this year. It should be exciting ♦.” He knew exactly what to say to make her grip loosen and her claws return to nails. The buzzword for her was always having to do with the Mafia, he knew very well that she held a grudge against them, and he'd be damned if he wasn't going to use that to get his way.   
  
     “On August 30th, the Spider is gathering in York New City. If you approach them as an ally, you'll have no troubles getting what you want ♣.” He let go of her neck and pushed her hand from his before he walked off calmly. She stared after him, feeling conflicted. She was happy to hear this offer, but at the same time, she still wished she had torn his throat out.   
     “Is there a catch?” She called out to him, not caring about the people around them. He turned back to her, a sly smirk adorning his features.  
     “None. You just need to follow orders and act as a scapegoat. If you do those two simple things, you can do whatever you want. You look perplexed. I'll leave you to think it over for now ♥.” This time, he made it to the elevator before she could say anything else. And she didn't even need to ask or say anything more. Her mind was made up almost instantly.

 

 


	21. Reason

     “ _Papa papa! Boarzoi lost another tusk!” A small girl, no taller than 4'8'', ran over to a tired looking man holding a small ivory tusk in her hands. The man had been tending to fields of tall grass, cutting it down and stacking it up to get bundled later. He wiped his forehead with a dirty looking rag as he looked down at the little tusk in her hands. A smile appeared on his face before he knelt down to her height._  
    _“It's a mighty big one this year, too. You raised him big an' strong, huh?” He patted her head gently, getting a giggle out of her. “But you should know better than to name the animals, Jo. You know they aren't our pets.” He sighed lightly, thinking the girl was too easily attached. Granted, she had raised that pig since he was born, so he could understand the bond. But either way, it would just break her heart once they had to sell it later. But even so, she still never seemed to understand this and just went ahead to do what she wanted._  
_“It isn't that bad! Besides, he's just a runt, he won't be sold for a while. We can be best friends forever at this rate!” She giggled before humming as she looked at the tusk again. “And it's twisted, too. I think it might be lucky.” The man sighed at her but continued to smile. She was just a kid, she shouldn't have to have worries or understand the real world just yet, even if their home was run by corrupt people._  
_“Maybe later, I'll make it into a necklace. That way you won't have to worry about losing it.” Her eyes lit up at the offer._  
_“You will? Thank you papa!” She cheered gleefully and hugged him tightly. He chuckled as well and hugged her back just as tightly._  
  
_“Zweiss.” The two looked up at the three men dressed in black, not even noticing they had been approaching. The man let go of the girl and stood up, hiding her behind his leg._  
_“Yes? May I help you gentlemen?”_  
_“We have a few things that need discussing...” A thin man with blond shaggy hair spoke up, holding his black suit in such a way that made him look like some big shot. The man sighed before looking down at his daughter._  
_“Go inside, I won't be long.”_  
_“But dad...”_  
_“Jordyn...please.” The girl frowned and even sent a glare to the shaggy haired man, before running off to the old looking house that they called home. He made sure she was inside before looking at them again._  
  
_“I know...I've been behind in payments, but we've been doing our best. With Daniella passing away, it's been hard to-”_  
_“Yeah yeah, I get it, the poor sickly wife, boohoo. We don't care.” The man stopped him from going further, rudely interrupting him as he put down the act of being a gentlemen. “You owe us money, Zweiss. A lot. And we're getting kinda tired of waiting for it.” He stepped forward, causing the man to look down at the ground._  
_“I'm...trying to make it up, I really am. Crops haven't been growing properly, the animals take time to mature, Jordyn, she...” He had so many mouths to feed, he had to raise his daughter without the help of a mother, he had to be the best role model he could be for her, it was impossible for him to have money for everything, though, and to keep an eye on everything he can. He flinched as the man grabbed his shirt by the collar and pulled him closer, forcing him to look him in the eye._  
  
_“You know somethin', Simon? I don't like violence, I really don't. I don't even like picking on people. And I see that you're trying to raise your daughter into a fine farmer, too. But I need my money, understand? You don't want the Varistradi breathin' down your neck all the time, right? And I'm sure you don't want your daughter seein' anything...ugly.” He smirked at him, using his daughter as his advantage. The man frowned and gripped his fist...but he didn't do anything. He let out a sigh and nodded._  
_“I don't...I don't want her to get involved.”_  
_“I understand that. And since I'm a Family man myself, I'll go a little easy on ya this time. How about this: By tomorrow, you get the 3,000 Jenny and I'll forget about the other half, huh? That sound fair?” My 'Family' he meant the Varistradi. He had no wife and certainly no children. But even so, Simon didn't say a word of it._  
_“T-Three thousand?”_  
_“That's fair, isn't it? Looks like you got just enough here for that, right?” The man smirked and let go of his shirt. “Tomorrow by noon. Got it?”_  
_“Yes...sir...” He bowed to him as the three men turned and left. The girl had been watching through the window, seeing the entire thing go down. She didn't hear a thing of what was going on, but she hated the fact her father looked helpless and the man was taking complete advantage of that. She couldn't help, though. What could a little girl like her do to help her father out of this situation?_  
  
_The Phirun region was run by the Varistradi Mafia family, a family that used scams and loan services to use and abuse the residents. It was a gloomy yet beautiful place full of all sorts of animals and large flora. Farmers flocked to the region because of the rich soil and ever-present rains. It was a wonderful place for crops because of this, and the animals were always so resilient, so they had no worries over them getting sick. However, because of this prosperous land and how easy it was to set things up, it was easy to fall into traps like loan scams. After all, with such a prosperous land, how easy could it be to run out of money? Very easily, as it turns out. The percentages were complete ruses._  
  
_In Newspapers, the Varistradi advertised loans that made people believe they only had to pay back 5% of the money they had borrowed. In the fine print, it actually revealed it was 5% more of the grand total. And because of this, families were caught off guard, they didn't have the money to pay them back. While they were given an extended amount of time, the Mafia would always come back with a different number. Because they said they would pay it back in a month, they raised the price by 10% of the total by the month's end, and when they were delayed again, it would go up another 10%. No one wanted to fight this in court because no one ever had the money to even take it that far. And it was generally unwise to challenge the Mafia like this, even if they knew they had a fighting chance in court. Many families had fallen prey to this scam and the mafia just kept getting wealthier the more people that came into the region with high hopes._  
_The Zweiss family was the only family that seemed to be able to pay up their owed amount, however, lately they had been falling behind. Simon Zweiss, a man only in his thirties yet looked to be much older, had to watch his wife die due to a very common and easily curable illness. He had no money for the medicine and the debt, he had to pick one over the other, all while his daughter was far too young to even understand what death was. The entire week, she always asked him where her mother was and why she was taking so long to come home. It was taxing on him, but he never once quit at it._  
  
_His daughter would smile, she would help him around the farm, she would do her chores and even help raise the animals. She never complained, she always did something that would get him to laugh or even smile for a moment. She was the reason he kept doing this, she was the reason he kept rolling with the punches, even if at times he just wanted to give up. If he could just make things bearable for Jordyn, then all of this pain would be worth it._  
  
_“Papa, what are they doing? Why are they taking everything?” Jordyn asked as she watched people load their animals into large transport trailers. They were even taking out the fruits and vegetables long before they were ready to be picked. “Papa, Boarzoi is too young to go to the market!” She argued and went to go stop the men. Her father grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back._  
_“It's alright, Jo, don't worry. They aren't going to the market.” He lied, but he didn't want her to get scared._  
_“What do you mean? Those trailers are always at the markets! Don't lie to me, Papa! What's going on!?” She tried to get her arm out of his hold, but he wouldn't let go of her. He hated lying to her, he hated seeing her like this. But he couldn't let her get hurt. He knew she would be hurt if he let her run off._  
_“Jordyn, listen to me. Sometimes papa has to make decisions. I didn't want to make this one but I had no choice.”_  
_“If you didn't want to do it, then stop it! They can't take everything!” She yelled and tried to run over to the men again. He pulled her back once more, but this time forced her to go inside._  
_“Go to your room...we'll pick out different animals later.” He told her as he locked the door from the outside, not allowing her to come out again. She banged on the screen door with her hands a few times to try to open it up, but nothing happened. He sighed heavily and looked away from her when he saw tears starting to well up in her eyes. He hated to see her cry. He hated making these decisions. But he knew he was doing the best he could. He was keeping her safe and making sure they could still be together._  
  
_Jordyn could only remember going to and from different regions and countries often. All so they could restock their livestock and get different crop seeds. They never raised more than one generation of animals all because they had to keep up with their payments. Jordyn couldn't remember a single time where she smiled on those trips. The animals were already raised by someone else, they held no bond towards her or her father. It just felt...empty._  
  
_“Papa...there's another batch of letters.” The girl, now at least 5'2'' and with long hair, spoke up as she walked into the living room with a stack of letters in her hands. “What does 'overdue' mean?” She asked as she handed him the letters. They had blaring red letters scrawled across them. The man sighed as he took a look at them. He placed them to the side of his chair, just adding onto the stack of debt._  
_“It's just a silly word, Jo. There's no need to worry about it.” He smiled at her as he sat up. She frowned a little and crossed her arms over her chest._  
_“It means something if they're written in red.” She argued, though he didn't seem to be listening to her. Instead, he pulled out two slips of paper from his pocket and handed one to her._  
_“I have a little surprise for you. They were cheap, surprisingly.” He chuckled as she looked at the label._  
_“Heavens Arena?” She looked at him in curiosity. He stood up and waved her along._  
_“I'll show you. The match is today. I think you'll enjoy it.”_  
  
_Jordyn had never been out of the Phirun region other than to find new livestock. So to go to a bustling city like this was almost shocking to her. There were so many people and all of them looked so happy. It was so strange compared to gloomy old Phirun. The tower was enough to make her knees shake. Her father laughed when he saw her looking all the way up at the tower. It looked like she was going to fall over._  
_“Don't look all the way up, you're going to fall over.” He warned her and she quickly looked at him and nodded. Once inside, they presented their tickets to one of the attendants and were shown to their seats. The room was dark, but full of so many people. She couldn't help but sit up in her seat and looked around curiously the entire time they waited for the match to start. And when it finally did, she couldn't keep her eyes off of the arena._  
  
_“Whoa~! Look at them go!” She cheered as she stood up and leaned forward to get a better look. Her father smiled at her, though leaned back in his seat while she excitedly watched the match. “Left right left right! His punches are almost too hard to follow! So cool!” She tried one of the fighters and punched at the air in rapid succession. It was obvious she was getting really into it and her father couldn't seem happier about this. The fighter ended with an upper right hook, which she mimicked as well. Her eyes were practically sparkling as the crowd cheered and the referee announced the winner of the match. “Papa! I wanna be like those guys! I wanna fight and throw punches! Maybe then those creeps will leave you alone! They'll be too afraid of me to get to you.” She smirked as she pointed to herself._  
_“Oh you don't have to worry about me. But if you really want to learn how to fight, I could try to find a class for you.” He stood up from his seat and followed her as she skipped out of the arena._  
  
_There were many days where he took her to Heavens Arena, even though he completely lied about the price of each ticket, he didn't seem to care anymore about money. There was a method to his overspending and that was the fact he wanted her to learn to fight. She had watched him tend to crops, take care of the animals, butcher said animals, know when to pick the crops at the right time, she learned best through observation and he was going to use this knowledge to his advantage. His debt was far too great at this point, he didn't feel that he could ever pay it all off in this lifetime. But he was never going to leave Jordyn with that burden._  
  
_“There's one more fight I want to take you to today, Jordyn.” Her father smiled as he pulled out two more tickets from his pocket. They had just finished watching a battle on the 100 th floor, so to one up that, he used the last of his loaned money to buy two 200th floor tickets. They were a completely different color, they looked almost golden._  
_“What, really!? Thanks! I don't know how I'll repay you!” She grinned up at him and couldn't help but give him another hug. “You're the best papa ever.” He stared down at her for a moment before a sad smile spread across his face. He hugged her back, though his grip was a little shaky._  
  
_He was confident he didn't deserve that title, not after promising the mafia he would pay for his debts with his life. He was going to leave her all alone with only sad memories. He never told her this, though, and just hoped she wouldn't notice anything strange._  
  
_The fight went by almost too quickly. Jordyn had been so excited about the match, even though she didn't know what was going on, it just looked like a magic show to her. But for some reason that just made her all the more excited about it. She wanted to learn all that she could from just watching. If she could fight like them one day, she would be very happy with herself._  
_“And then he did a kick like this!” She balanced herself on her left foot while she stretched her right leg up into a kick. It seemed powerful, well, at least for a ten year old it did. “And then a few punches...” She started to punch the air again as she walked down the hall with her father. “Ahhh it was so cool! Maybe we can find a sensei here! That would be really amazing if we could. I just hope their prices aren't too...Papa?” She looked around as she noticed her father was no longer standing beside her. She looked around the hall way and even ran back to the arena to see if he was still inside. But there was no sign of him. She frowned a little and ran back to the lobby, hoping to find him waiting there for her. She could have sworn he was right next to her, though. She didn't know how she could have not noticed him wandering off._  
  
_“Papa!” She called out to him, hoping for some kind of response. But all she got was people turning their heads to look at her. She continued running as people watched her, not knowing if she was lost or if her father was the one that was lost. Or perhaps he had just gone to the betting table to collect winnings without telling her. Either way, they couldn't help but look around as well to see if they could find her father or to just ignore her altogether. “Papa!” She yelled again only to stop near the escalators as she noticed a group of men dressed in black down on the ground floor. They were in a group and in the middle she could see a man with brown hair just like hers._  
  
_“Papa...” She immediately recognized the group and ran down the escalator. But instead of just yelling at them, she grabbed the tusk that was tied around her neck and yanked it to break the string. She grit her teeth and glared at the group, specifically at the blond man that was forcing her father to walk towards the exits. “Let him go!!” She demanded as she continued running towards them. They looked towards the girl as Simon's eyes widened in terror. She wasn't supposed to notice, he was sure he left her without a sound. The blond man stumbled slightly, but stayed on his feet as she crashed into him, thrusting the pointed end of the tusk into his side. She glared up at him as he stared down at her in shock. She forced the item further into it side, even thrusting a couple of her fingers into the wound to tear his side open even more. She never once broke eye contact with him, she held no fear and no regrets. The group was left in shock, they had barely realized what had happened. Until she pulled her hands from the man's side and watched him crumple to the ground._  
  
_“Jordyn, run! Get as far away from here as you can!” Her father yelled, making her look up at him._  
_“But-!”_  
_“NOW! GO!” He ordered as he shoved the men away before they could point their guns at her. She stepped back, looking reluctant to leave his side for a moment before she finally ran out of the building. “Don't look back!” He yelled after her, keeping the men occupied for as long as he could until they finally turned their guns on him._  
  
_Jordyn ran as fast as her legs could carry her, and as far as she needed to. She never stopped, not even when people were asking what was wrong. The adrenaline pumping through her veins helped in keeping her from getting tired or feeling her legs burn and her muscles scream at her to stop. Tears slid off her face and fell behind her like raindrops, her jaw clenched painfully to the point where she was sure some of her molars broke. Heavens Arena was an entire day away from Phirun, but she ran until she got back home. She was panting and spitting out blood from clenching her jaw so hard, but she finally collapsed against the wooden fence that separated the animals from the crops. She stared down at her hands, not noticing they were covered in blood the entire way here._  
  
_“Is that mine...? No...It's that man's.” She muttered to herself as she stood up again, though her feet felt sore. She looked down, seeing her socks were covered in blood as well. “That's...that's my blood...blisters...” She panted again as she tried to make sense of everything that happened. It was dark, much more darker than usual. But she didn't seem to mind or care. “And Papa...” She frowned again as the tears began streaming down her face again. “Why...why...” There were so many questions she wanted him to answer. She wanted to know why he felt it was okay to do what he did, why he wanted to abandon her like that. She clenched her teeth again before letting out a loud scream. She was never one to hold herself back, even when she was in pain. Besides, screaming helped._  
  
_She pulled herself inside the now empty house, tossing her ruined shoes and socks to one side while she pulled herself onto the couch to rest her legs and feet. She looked at the coffee table, seeing a single letter on the table with her name written on it. She blinked slowly before reaching over and grabbed it. She broke the wax seal and unfolded the letter._

_'_ Jordyn, I know what you must be thinking right now. You must hate me for what I did. But I promise you, I had all the best intentions in mind.  
We...your mother and I, were in a massive amount of debt. I did my best to pay everything off, I know that you didn't agree with some of the things I had to do, but I didn't want you to be the one to get hurt. In the end, I was selfish. I took you to all those fights because I wanted you to learn how to defend yourself.  
I know I'm a terrible father for leaving you alone like this and I can only hope for your forgiveness in the afterlife. I want you to live, Jordyn. I know it hurts right now, but you have a clean slate now. You're learning how to fight, you can raise the farm how you see fit, maybe there will be someone who can make you even more happier than I could. You can do anything you set your mind to. Please don't follow down me.  
Live your life the way you want and be happy,  
for me,  
for your mother,  
and most importantly, for yourself.  _'_

 

_“You idiot...You damn idiot!” She threw the piece of paper away from her as she buried her head into one of the pillows that was losing it's stuffing. She never hated her father, she never hated this life they led, she was always so happy and always smiling. She hated the men that did this to her family, she hated the men that bullied her parents into this lifestyle. She never hated her parents for what they did. She sobbed into the dusty pillow, not even thinking she still had tears left to cry.  
  
     She stood up from the couch once she found the strength to do that, and walked over to the pile of letters. Tears were still flowing down her face, but there was so much hatred in her showing in her eyes that she didn't even care. She opened the letters, each and every one of them and read over what they were for. They talked about her mother and how she died, they talked about the loans that they scammed them into, the bills were ridiculous and the percentages didn't make sense to her at all. It just further angered her, it infuriated her to no end. These people didn't deserve kindness or mercy. They deserved to be killed and tormented just like they did to her parents and so many other families. They deserved absolutely nothing.  
  
_      In Phirun, Jordyn hopped down from a large tree with drooping branches and thin leaves. She checked the seeds that she had gathered from it. They were about the size of walnuts, but they were dark, smooth, and shiny. She nodded to herself before walking to another location closer to one of the many bodies of water in the region. She knelt down and started to pluck a few fruits from the small flowers that grew on the lake's edge, then again climbed a different kind of tree to gather it's fruits.  
  
     “Healing Tree, Lantern flower, Soul Sapper, Hawthorne, Weeping tree, and Gluttony's Weed. That should be enough.” She hummed to herself as she sorted the seeds into different pouches she had brought along. A Cockatrice had swam onto land, seeing her invading it's territory. It began hissing at her and puffing out it's feathers to make it look larger than it actually was. But she didn't seem to care at the moment. She held one of the seeds in her hand, a black seed with two white stripes curving on either side of it. She started to pour her aura into it, seeing the seed crack and a little sprout come out. She frowned a little at this as the cockatrice continued to hiss at her. “Not good enough...” She sighed before tossing the seed aside and plucked out another one. She rolled it around in her fingers before shooting it into the animal with one fast flick of her wrist. The creature was caught off guard and rubbed it's clawed feet against it's side to get the seed out. She stared for a moment before snapping her fingers. The cockatrice hissed loudly and writhed on the ground as vines burst out of it's skin and dug deep into it's body. The vines wrapped around it and kept it's mouth shut as flowers started to sprout all over it. She nodded at this before throwing another seed into the soil this time. She again snapped her fingers and watched as the vines and flowers sprouted, but it was a little slower this time.  
  
     “It works better in a living thing, then. Perfect.” She smirked wickedly as she rubbed her chin. She laughed a little to herself as her smirk grew into a grin, imagining all the pain she will be causing to the bastards that ruined her family's happiness. “They'll learn what true evil is...my _Seed of Evil_ will teach them pain and suffering like they have never experienced.”

 


End file.
